Bone grafting: Physiology and techniques

Abstract

Craniofacial anatomy represents one of the few places in the body where bony anatomy is truly married to that of soft tissue. As well as providing structural support and protecting sensory anatomy, the skeletal component of craniofacial anatomy is essential in fulfilling perhaps the face’s most important role: to look like a face. Given this unique marriage of form and function, the goal of this chapter is to review the principles of bone anatomy, physiology, histochemistry, repair and regeneration, and reconstruction and grafting techniques, as they pertain specifically to craniofacial surgery.