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Conditions

Oral and maxillofacial surgery · Face, mouth and jaws

Craniosynostosis

Understand premature fusion of one or more skull sutures and why specialist assessment matters.

Editorial publication · Medical review pending.

Understand

Craniosynostosis is premature fusion of one or more sutures in a baby's skull, altering how the head grows and is shaped.

Possible symptoms

An unusual or asymmetric head shape, a hard ridge, slow head-circumference growth and sometimes pressure, vision, hearing or breathing problems may occur.

Causes and associated factors

It is often isolated without one clear cause; some forms are linked to a genetic change or syndrome affecting the face and other organs.

Diagnosis

Specialist examination assesses head shape, sutures, fontanelle, circumference and development while distinguishing positional flattening.

Tests

Photographs and measurements may guide assessment; low-dose CT or other imaging and genetic tests are reserved for cases where they inform decisions.

Course of the condition

Course depends on the suture and any syndrome; some forms mainly affect shape, while others raise the risk of pressure inside the skull.

Care options

A craniofacial team chooses monitoring or surgery to allow brain growth and reshape the skull; timing is individualised.

When to consult

Seek prompt review if head shape is unusual from birth, becomes asymmetric, has a ridge or head circumference falls off its growth curve.

Urgent help

A bulging fontanelle with vomiting, drowsiness, seizure, new vision change, weakness, breathing difficulty or rapid deterioration requires emergency care.

Questions for your doctor

  • What exact diagnosis and extent have been established?
  • Which functions—breathing, vision, chewing, speech or swallowing—are affected?
  • Which non-surgical and surgical options should we compare?
  • Which nerve, dental, functional and appearance risks should I consider?
  • What multidisciplinary follow-up will be needed?

Continue reading

A procedure linked to a condition does not establish an indication for your individual situation.

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