Hemifacial microsomia. Etiology, diagnosis and treatment.
BACKGROUND
Three percent of all newborns have significant structural anomalies. Hemifacial microsomia, or HFM, is the second most common facial anomaly, second only to cleft lip and palate. New therapeutic and clinical management techniques offer promising interventions that can allow many patients to have more normal childhoods at earlier ages.


METHODS
Due to a unilateral deficiency of the mandible and lower face, patients who have HFM have specific dental needs that require restorative, orthodontic and surgical correction.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral and maxillofacial malformations present diagnostic and treatment challenges unique to the dental profession. The etiology, diagnosis and treatment modalities discussed in this article can be used to help effectively rehabilitate patients who have HFM.
Monahan
R
R
Division of Radiology, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois, Shriners Hospital for Children, Chicago, USA.
Seder
K
K
Patel
P
P
Alder
M
M
Grud
S
S
O'Gara
M
M
D002648:Child; D005146:Facial Asymmetry / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000209:etiology; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000473:pathology; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014071:Tooth Abnormalities / Q000209:etiology