Our Research

Overview

The Center for Applied Clinical Investigation (CACI) in the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry at Mass General was established in 2000 as both a research center and a center for training academic oral surgeons in clinical investigation. The center is dedicated to understanding the variables that contribute to manageable risks and complications and to guiding oral and maxillofacial surgeons to the best outcomes based on scientific evidence.

The clinical investigation model was developed as a research program designed to provide a clinical complement to basic science research across the oral and maxillofacial surgery domain. Literature worldwide is monitored and we work to initiate and support research in emerging and under-studied disciplines. The goal is to expand the literature to promote evidence-based clinical practice and improved outcomes in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Hypothesis-driven research questions are created rigorous, sound scientific studies are designed to contribute concrete findings and outcomes that promote evidence-based clinical practice.

Research Positions

The CACI Fellowship in Clinical Investigation is an opportunity for an oral and maxillofacial surgeons to work at Mass General with CACI mentors on a course of independent clinical research in a focused area. Fellows spend two years at Mass General and their research may be integrated with a related graduate study at Harvard School of Public Health or Harvard Medical School may be combined with a master’s in Public Health. Upon completion of the CACI Fellowship in Clinical Investigation, most fellows will have achieved the academic credentials necessary for a junior faculty appointment at an accredited hospital—or university-based oral and maxillofacial surgery program.

Learn about this fellowship

Publications

• Zhang F, Hsu G, Das S, Chen Y, August M. Independent risk factors associated with higher mortality rates and recurrence of brain abscesses from head and neck sources. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2021 Feb;131(2):173-179
• Das S, Hakim MA, Hajibandeh JT, McCain JP. Is a minimally invasive endoscopic approach a promising management modality among patients with chronic protracted temporomandibular joint dislocation? J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2020 Dec;78(12):2112-2113
• Das S, Faquin WC, Caruso PA, McCain JP, August M, Kaban LB. An incidental finding of a radiolucent lesion in the mandibular condyle. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2020 Sep 29;S2212-4403(20)31240-2
• Chen Y, Zhang J, Han Y, Troulis MJ, August M. Benign pediatric jaw lesions at Massachusetts General Hospital over 13 years. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2020 Jul;78(7):1124-1135
• Chen Y, Zhang J, Rao N, Han Y, Ferraro N, August M. Do patients with different mandibular plane angles have different time to relapse after bilateral sagittal osteotomy with mandibular advancement? J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2020 Mar;78(3):455-466
• Chen Y, Zhang J, Han Y, Ferraro N, August M. Interaction analysis of risk factors for long-term skeletal relapse following mandibular advancement with bilateral sagittal split osteotomy. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2020 Mar;49(3):350-355
• Färkkilä EM, Peacock ZS, Tannyhill RJ, Petrovick L, Gervasini A, Velmahos GC, Kaban LB. Frequency of cervical spine injuries in patients with midface fractures. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2020 Jan;49(1):75-81
• Färkkilä E, Peacock ZS, Tannyhill RJ, Kaban LB. Risk factors for cervical spine injury in patients with mandibular fractures. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2019 Jun;77(6):1099-1100

Contact Us

Zachary Peacock, MD, DMD

Phone: 617-726-2740
Email: zpeacock@partners.org

Overview

The Skeletal Biology Research Center in the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry at Mass General conducts fundamental and translational research in the following areas of interest:

• Bone Tissue Engineering
• Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Regeneration
• Biomaterials for Maxillofacial Applications

The Skeletal Biology Research Center is located on the 5th floor of the Thier Research Building on the main campus of Mass General.

Research Positions

DDS/DMD and PhD candidates interested in a research fellowship or a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Skeletal Biology Research Center are welcome to apply.

Accepted candidates will obtain an appointment as a research fellow at Mass General through the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry/Department of Surgery and Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Candidates should email Fernando Guastaldi, DDS, MSc, PhD, laboratory director, at fguastaldi@mgh.harvard.edu.

In the email, please include:

• An attached CV, either as a Word document or Adobe PDF
• A brief description of the candidate
• The field of interest at the lab
• Goals and expectations

Publications

• Matheus HR, Hadad H, Guastaldi FPS. The State of 3D Printing of Bioengineered Customized Maxillofacial Bone Scaffolds: A Narrative Review. Front Oral Maxillofac Med. 2022
• Guastaldi FPS, Matheus HR, Faloni APS, de Almeida-Filho E, Cominotte MA, Moretti LAC, Verzola MHA, Marcantonio E Jr, de Almeida JM, Guastaldi AC, Cirelli JA. A New Multiphase Calcium Phosphate Graft Material Improves Bone Healing. An In Vitro and In Vivo Analysis. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2022; 110(12): 2686-2704
• Matheus HR, Özdemir SD, Guastaldi FPS. Stem Cell-Based Therapies for Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis and Regeneration of Cartilage/Osteochondral Defects: A Systematic Review of Preclinical Experiments. Osteoarthr Cartil. 2022; 30(9): 1174-1185
• Thamm JR, Jounaidi Y, Kolk A, Rosen V, Troulis MJ, Guastaldi FPS. Chondrogenic Differentiation of Mouse CD105+ Stem/Progenitor Cells on Amino-Group-Functionalized Biosilica-Hydrogel Scaffolds. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2022; S2212-4403(22)01094-X
• Parad S, Hadad H, Matheus, HR, Klein KP, Guastaldi FPS. Post-Legalization Consumption of Cannabis at Massachusetts General Hospital Dental Group. J Public Health Dent. 2022; 23(6): 618-622
• Scott BB, Randolph MA, Guastaldi FPS, Wu RC, Redmond RW. Light-Activated Vascular Anastomosis. Surg Innov. 2022; 15533506221104382
• Liapaki A, Chen Y, Hadad H, Guastaldi FPS, August M. Evaluation of Oral Implant Survival Rate in Postmenopausal Women with Osteopenia/Osteoporosis. A Retrospective Pilot Study. J Stomatol Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2022; S2468-7855(22)00184-7
• Thamm, J.R., Jounaidi, Y., Mueller, ML. et al. Temporomandibular Joint Fibrocartilage Contains CD105 Positive Mouse Mesenchymal Stem/Progenitor Cells with Increased Chondrogenic Potential. J Maxillofac Oral Surg. (2022)
• Monteiro JLGC, Takusagawa T, Vasconcelos BCE, Pai SI, McCain JP, Guastaldi FPS. A Rabbit Model to Investigate Temporomandibular Joint Osteochondral Regeneration. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2022; 134(1): 20-27
• Klein KP, Guastaldi FPS, Pereira HSG, He Y, Lukas SE. Dronabinol Inhibits Alveolar Bone Remodeling in Tooth Movement of Rats. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2022; 161(3): e215-e222
• Mueller ML, Ottensmeyer MP, Thamm JR, Schmelzeisen R, Troulis MJ, Guastaldi FPS. Increased osteogenic activity of dynamic cultured composite bone scaffolds: Characterization and in vitro study. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2022; 80(2): 303-312
• Guastaldi FPS*, Hakim MA*, Liapaki A, Lowe B, Faquin WC, Thamm JR, McCain, JP. Are Stem Cells Useful in the Regeneration and Repair of Cartilage Defects in the TMJ Condyle? An In Vivo Study. J Dent & Oral Disord. 2021; 7(2): 1159
• Liapaki A, Thamm JR, Ha S, Monteiro JLGC, Troulis MJ, Guastaldi FPS. Is There a Difference in Treatment Effect of Different Intra-articular Drugs for Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis? A Systematic Review. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021
• Mueller ML, Thamm JR, Troulis MJ, Guastaldi FPS. Clinical Application of Three-Dimensional Printing and Tissue Engineering for Maxillofacial Reconstruction. A Review of Reported Cases. JSM Oro Facial Surg. 2020;4(1):1013
• Gomes Carneiro Monteiro JL, Guastaldi FPS, Troulis MJ, McCain JP, do Egito Vasconcelos BC. Induction, Treatment, and Prevention of Temporomandibular Joint Ankylosis—A systematic Review of Comparative Animal Studies. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2020;S0278-2391(20)30713-8
• Hakim MA*, Guastaldi FPS*, Liapaki A, Ahn DY, Mueller ML, Troulis MJ, McCain JP. In Vivo Investigation of Temporomandibular Joint Regeneration: Development of a Mouse Model. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2020;49:940-944
• Guastaldi F, Faquin W, Rivera M, Gootkind F, Hashemi S, August M, Iafrate A, Kaban L, Jaquinet A, Troulis M. Clear Cell Odontogenic Carcinoma: A Rare Jaw Tumor. A Summary of 107 Reported Cases. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2019;48(11):1405-1410
• Lowe B, Guastaldi F, Ottensmeyer M, Troulis M. Tissue-engineered Bone Using Three-Dimensionally Fabricated Constructs for Reconstruction of Large Bicortical Mandibular Defect in Porcine Model. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2019;48(1):158