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Figure 1. Multidimensional mechanical forces in the craniofacial complex. (A) Key mechanical forces in the craniofacial region include those from mastication, intracranial pressure, trauma, and tissue growth; (B) Regional variations in maxillary thickness and density reflect functional adaptation to these forces. Adapted from Peterson et al., 2006^[12]; (C) Pediatric craniofacial bone growth patterns demonstrate dynamic changes in size (red), appositional growth (white), and net resorption (black). Adapted from Farooq 2020^[13]; (D) Appositional growth along cranial sutures generates stiffness gradients, as shown in a strain-based in silico analysis at 12 months of age. Adapted from Liang et al., 2024^[14]; (E) Finite element modeling reveals altered Huber stress distribution following palatal expansion without osteotomy (top panel) and with sagittal osteotomy (top panel). Adapted from Zawiślak et al., 2020^[15]. Created in BioRender. (Vignolo S, 2025; https://BioRender.com/fvni7dw).