Hemifacial microsomia - Etiology, diagnosis and treatment

Background. Three percent of all newborns have significant structural anoma lies. Hemifacial microsomia, or HFM is the second most common facial anomal y, second only to cleft lip and palate. New therapeutic and clinical manage ment techniques offer promising interventions that can allow many patients to have more normal childhoods at earlier ages. Description. 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. Clinical Implications. Oral and maxillofacial malformations present diagnos tic and treatment challenges unique to the dental profession. The etiology, diagnosis and treatment modalities discussed in this article can be used t o help effectively rehabilitate patients who have HFM.