Research

Thomas Klit Pedersen, DDS, Ph.D., is a clinical professor and consultant orthodontist specializing in growth-conditioned deformities of the jaws at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, and the Section for Orthodontics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark. His main research interests include temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthritis and pathology and their consequences for craniomandibular growth, treatment of these conditions, cytokine levels in the TMJ and tissue recovery, the effect of locally and systemically administered inflammatory-modifying drugs, distraction osteogenesis, and orthognathic surgical procedures (including surgery-first approaches). Additionally, he focuses on orthopedic and surgical treatment of dentofacial anomalies and cleft lip and palate (CLP), the use of skeletal anchorage, and virtual surgical planning combined with 3D-printed elements for jaw positioning support. Recently, he has initiated projects on the establishment of databases to apply artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning datasets for assessing prognosis and predicting treatment efficacy for various types of dentofacial deformities. His current research also includes the use of AI in diagnostic and clinical settings and the application of aligner technology in orthognathic surgery.

Teaching

Thomas Klit Pedersen earned his DDS degree in 1982 and completed his orthodontic training in 1991. In 1996, he defended his Ph.D. dissertation on the treatment of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Job responsibilities

Thomas Klit Pedersen is responsible for the Regional Clinic for Dentofacial Anomalies, managing patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and similar temporomandibular joint (TMJ) conditions and groups of dento- and craniofacial anomalies. He serves as a clinical instructor at the postgraduate education in orthodontics, primarily focusing on orthognathic surgical patients and patients with orofacial issues. Aditionally, he teach at the pregraduate education. Since 2008, he has been a board member and co-founder of TMJaw (Temporomandibular Joint in Juvenile Arthritis Workgroup), an international research network dedicated to TMJ arthritis in JIA patients and the related dentofacial deformities.