A 3D Follow-Up Study of Cranial Asymmetry from Early Infancy to Toddler Age after Preterm versus Term Birth.

Preterm infants are at higher risk for both symmetrical and asymmetrical head molding. This study involved 3D stereophotogrammetry to assess the cranial growth, molding, and incidence of deformational plagiocephaly (DP) in preterm children compared to term born children. Thirty-four preterm infants and 34 term born controls were enrolled in this study from Oulu University Hospital, Finland. Three-dimensional head images were obtained at the age of 2-4 months (T1), 5-7 months (T2), 11-13 months (T3), and 2.5-3 years (T4) from the term equivalent age (TEA). There was no statistically significant difference in oblique cranial length ratio (OCLR), cephalic index (CI), or weighted asymmetry score (wAS) between the two groups. Occipital flattening, defined by flatness score (FS) was statistically significantly greater in the preterm group than in the term group at T1-T4 (p < 0.05). In both groups, OCLR improved gradually over time. There were no instances, in either group, of severe DP and no moderate DP after T2. Results indicate that DP affects preterm and full-term children almost equally during the first three years of life, and cranial asymmetry resolves at a similar rate in both preterm and term groups after three months of corrected age. Preterm infants present with more occipital flattening than full-term children.

Comprehensive treatment approach for condylar hyperplasia and mandibular crowding with custom lingual braces and 2-jaw surgery.

We report on the successful treatment of a 32-year-old woman with condylar hyperplasia and severe mandibular crowding. In addition, her maxilla was canted to the right, her mandibular midline and chin point deviated to the left, and her maxillary canines were missing. The treatment plan included (1) aligning and leveling the teeth in both arches, (2) correcting overbite and overjet, (3) performing LeFort I osteotomy and bilateral split osteotomies, and (4) correcting the malocclusion postsurgically. The orthodontic treatment was performed with custom lingual braces and clear brackets, and virtual surgical planning techniques were used to plan the orthognathic surgery. The condylar hyperplasia and the mandibular crowding were corrected. At the end of treatment, the patient's face appeared symmetrical. The results suggest that esthetic and functional results can be achieved with the cooperation of 2 specialties and the use of state-of-the-art technology.