Dear Colleagues,

Animals have been used extensively in craniofacial growth and development research in order to investigate and facilitate the understanding of various tissue, molecular and biochemical processes involved in facial growth and development. Also gene expression has been studied in different developmental situations and functional alterations during growth. It has been shown that the maxilla in animals can be distracted and the temporomandibular joint may be remodeled under various muscular loadings. Condylar and nasal cartilage have been studied widely and they are considered essential anatomic tissues for normal growth and development. However, despite the fact that craniofacial growth has been extensively studied for many decades, the question remains unanswered whether the experimental findings from animals are transient changes due to growth stimulation from alterated mechanical strains or true bone modeling. Recently new craniofacial three dimentional imaging techniques for animals and advances in biomaterials and biotechnology may help to clarify unanswered issues up to now.

This Special Issue focuses on the most recent “Advances in craniofacial animal growth and development research ”. The topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Bone modeling and remodeling processes involved in animal maxillofacial and craniofacial growth and development.
• Novel approaches in craniofacial animal research with materials, cells and growth factors.
• Hormonal and genetic factors involved in animal craniofacial research.
• Tissue regenerative treatments in animal craniofacial disorders and craniofacial bone engineering in animals.
• Treatment advances in animal experimentation for clefts and maxillofacial-craniofacial defects.
• Impact of different levels of loading on animal craniofacial bone components and relationship between form and function.
• Maxillary, mandibular and nasal development in different animal models.
• Advances in appliances and imaging techniques for animal experimentation in the craniofacial region.

Original research contributions will be prioritized, but reviews about the state of the art, current limitations and future perspectives are also welcome.

Dr. Ioannis A. Tsolakis
Dr. Apostolos I. Tsolakis
Guest Editors

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• maxillary growth
• mandibular growth
• nasal growth craniofacial growth
• tissue regeneration
• maxillofacial bioengineering
• animal imaging techniques
• animal craniofacial growth and development