Assoc. Prof. Willliam Papaioannou


Treatment of craniofacial anomalies and facial clefts [Round Table]

Patients with craniofacial anomalies and facial clefts require dental, orthodontic and surgery services as a direct result of the medical condition and as an integral part of the habilitation process. Treatment often takes place in phases which may include treatment in infancy, the primary dentition, the transitional dentition and the permanent dentition. The skeletal and dental components should therefore be regularly evaluated to see if a skeletal asymmetry and malocclusion is present or developing. Diagnosis and treatment planning requires a variety of diagnostic records as well as clinical examination. Records are obtained in a serial fashion to monitor dentofacial growth and development as well as the results of ongoing treatment.

Associated problems with craniofacial anomalies and clefts may be: a. dental (missing or supernumerary teeth, peg-shaped, malpositioned, lack of bone support), b. skeletal (maxillary/mandibular deficiency, asymmetry), c. feeding (sucking, swallowing) , d. hearing (recurrent ear infections, middle ear built-up, hearing loss) , e. speech (hypernasality, hyponasality, articulation, resonance) and f. emotional and social issues (low self-confidence, peers teasing, over-estimations of diversity).

An organized craniofacial team based on guidelines from the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) and Cleft Palate Foundation (CPF) is the most appropriate to provide coordinated treatment and care in a consistent manner. The individuals on team are: team coordinator, plastic surgeon, maxillofacial surgeon, orthodontist, speech and language pathologist, dentist, psychologist, social worker, geneticist, otolaryngologist, primary care specialist, audiologist and nurse.

Several craniofacial and cleft cases are presented from the surgical, orthodontic and dental standpoint.

Short Curriculum Vitae

William (Vasileios) Papaioannou (D.D.S., M.Sc.D., Ph.D.) graduated in 1992 from the Dental School of the Aristotle University, in Thessaloniki (Greece). He is a specialized periodontist trained at the KU Leuven (Belgium), where he also completed his Master’s in Dental Sciences (M.Sc.D.) and Doctor in Medical Sciences (Ph.D.) degrees. Currently he serves as an Associate Professor of Preventive and Community Dentistry at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece) and has a private practice limited to periodontology and dental implants in Athens. His interests include oral disease prevention, diagnosis, as well as the treatment and management of periodontal disease and halitosis (bad breath). He has authored over 90 national and international publications and has given invited presentations in many national and international meetings.

He is the Vice President of the Hellenic Society of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry and President of the Continental European Division of the International Association for Dental Research (CED-IADR).