Craniofacial

Craniofacial is a medical term describing the anatomy, development, and disorders of the skull (cranium) and face, including the cranial base, calvaria, and the viscerocranium. The craniofacial complex also encompasses the surrounding soft tissues, nerves, muscles, vasculature, and dentition that contribute to functions such as breathing, vision, hearing, speech, and mastication. Clinically, craniofacial concerns cover congenital and acquired conditions that affect the form and function of both the skull and facial skeleton.

Anatomically the craniofacial skeleton is divided into the neurocranium and viscerocranium. The neurocranium protects the brain and forms the calvaria and skull base, while the viscerocranium comprises the facial bones such as the maxilla, mandible, zygomatic bones, nasal, lacrimal, palatine, and vomer. Developmentally, neural crest cells contribute to much of the viscerocranium; sutures between bones allow growth during childhood. Functional relationships with the dentition and orofacial muscles influence facial harmony and airway patency.

Clinical issues include congenital anomalies such as craniosynostosis (premature fusion of skull sutures) and orofacial clefts, as well as acquired problems from trauma, tumors, or infection. Management typically involves a multidisciplinary team including surgeons, orthodontists, speech therapists, and other specialists. Treatments may include craniofacial surgery, orthognathic procedures to correct jaw alignment, distraction osteogenesis to lengthen bones, and reconstructive techniques using bone grafts or vascularized flaps. Diagnosis and planning rely on imaging such as CT and MRI, with increasingly sophisticated 3D imaging and computer-assisted planning.