An important new book on craniofacial anomalies has been written by Professor Takayuki Kuroda and his colleagues at Tokyo Medical and Dental University. This treatment team comprised a unique group of people who have developed particular expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with complex craniofacial syndromes. They share their knowledge with orthodontists, surgeons, and allied health professionals, providing key insights into the management of patients with a vast array of problems, both in the craniofacial region and elsewhere in the body. The cases presented range from commonly seen syndromes to those perhaps never seen by the average clinician. The treatments rendered often are spectacular in their outcomes, especially given the patients’ starting forms.

Most clinicians do not focus on patients with birth defects because they might be only a small fraction of their overall patient population. Yet each of us has a few (or more than a few) patients with distinct needs that require additional expertise from a team of specialists in this type of therapy. Drs Kuroda, Ohyama, Motohashi, and Moriyama have given us a wonderful resource to improve our diagnosis and management for these patients.

The lead author, Dr Takayuki Kuroda, was the founding chair of the Second Department of Orthodontics and the Section of Maxillofacial Orthognathics at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, a department that focused on the treatment of patients requiring corrective jaw surgery as well as patients with craniofacial anomalies. His program soon achieved a worldwide reputation as a premier center for the management of patients with difficult craniofacial problems. He has been active for many years in the International Association for Dental Research, having served as its president in 2005-2006.