A Worldwide Plan to Study the
Growth of the Craniofacial ComplexWhat is desperately needed is a worldwide plan of study of the growth of the craniofacial complex; a plan without self interest, without bigotry, without smallness of spirit, dedicated solely to the bedrock purity of the expression of human emotions. We must first produce a generation of orthodontists who are well informed on basic growth increments, not the effects of growth increments, and who are proficient in treatment.
There are a number of institutions in the world where large segments of growth material have been collected. Notably, among these institutions is Case Western Reserve University of Cleveland, Ohio, USA, where the legacy of Dr. B. Holly Broadbent is being preserved by Dr. B. Holly Broadbent, Jr., as custodian.
Here, large numbers of records are being preserved. These records include (1) a medical history of every patient, (2) a cephalometric radiogram at age three months, (3) a cephalometric radiogram at six month intervals until age six years, (4) a cephalometric radiogram at one year intervals, (5) cephalometric radiograms at irregular intervals, and (6) models made from compound impressions at regular intervals. Such precise records will never again be collected in the history of mankind. The school has strict rules for the preservation of these records. Through the years since 1929, the school has been very generous in sharing the use of these records.
If categories of treatment problems, categories of facial types, and categories of difficulty of treatment were identified and made available to the profession through duplication of records, it would prove to be a great boon to investigative knowledge and to proficient treatment.
If landmarks were chosen which will accurately determine how much a given anatomical part (as an example, the chin) moves downward and accurately determines how much it moves forward, then that is all that is required for the analysis of the craniofacial complex.
Such dependable landmarks have already been chosen for measuring the craniofacial complex both vertically and horizontally. "Sella horizontal," a line through the center of sella turcica parallel to the earliest Frankfort plane, will serve as a dependable landmark from which all points in the craniofacial complex can be measured vertically. This is because the Frankfort plane is parallel to the earth’s surface – is square with the world.
The "Great Divide," a line from the center of sella turcica downward perpendicular to the Frankfort plane, will serve as a landmark from which all points in the craniofacial complex can be measured horizontally. Then, regardless of how much a given point grows forward or posteriorly, it can be accurately measured horizontally from this line. Please see Article 24 in the Schudy Chronicles. Web: http://www.vsbw.com/~schudyf
If someone has a better plan for accurately measuring the craniofacial complex, I would fervently hope that they would soon report such an analysis for measuring the craniofacial system. I would greatly appreciate some comments. I feel an urgency for having a dialogue started, on the very best analysis for measuring the growth of the jaws and face. I would greatly appreciate some comments on the value of this analysis as a scientific method of measuring.
The author fully realizes that nothing is ever accomplished without a plan. He also realizes that such a project will probably extend beyond most individual careers. If our profession ever makes any real scientific progress, we must think in terms of basic growth increments, not their effects, and think beyond individual careers.
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