Research
Leading-Edge Advancements in Craniofacial Care
The Children's Hospital at Montefiore is part of one of the nation's premier academic medical centers, internationally recognized as a leader of science-driven, patient-centered care, research and education. We have pioneered some of the most innovative and exciting techniques and methodology in the past decade.
All of our craniofacial surgeons were involved with the basic research that makes innovative medical treatments and techniques possible. We have a sophisticated knowledge of how advanced treatments can be best used to benefit each individual child.
Our team has helped thousands of children who were born with craniofacial differences, and those who have suffered craniofacial trauma. We have developed particular expertise through the treatment of more than 8,000 patients with cleft lip and palate, craniosynostosis and other complex conditions.
Improved Craniofacial Technology and Technique
One of the most thrilling developments in craniofacial care has been the techniques of distraction osteogenesis. First used to lengthen short limbs, this technology can now be applied to the bones of the face, including the lower jaw, mid-face and cranium. These new techniques have vastly improved the outcomes we are able to achieve.
Another area where new techniques have been used is in the realm of bone fixation. Because of concerns regarding growth, we no longer use the metal wires, plates and screws that are used in surgeries performed on the skull. These plates were once typically left in place for a child's entire life, and while problems did not generally arise, surgeons were concerned about potential, as-yet-unknown side effects from this treatment method. Small plates and screws have since been developed that actually dissolve after bone healing has occurred.
We are currently conducting research and clinical trials into the genetic pathways that produce craniofacial deformities, in order to eventually prevent them, and when they cannot be avoided, to help physicians better prepare for their occurrence at the time of a child's birth.