Classification, etiology, and genetic aspects of craniofacial anomalies

The shape and function of the cranium and face at birth are the end-products of complex and poorly understood developmental processes. In this article the author attempts first to review normal cranio-facial development, believing that this basic information is essential to the understanding of abnormal development. He reviews a scheme of classification of anomalies based on etiologic considerations, illustrating each etiologic factor with conditions encountered in practice. Genetic principles in the etiology of craniofacial anomalies are emphasized. Because of space constraints, no attempt will be made to catalogue syndromes of craniofacial anomalies.