I am a Clinical Professor and Specialist in Orthodontics at Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital. My research focuses on diseases and growth disturbances affecting the temporomandibular joints and jaws, and on how these conditions can best be treated. Part of my research focuses on orthognathic surgery. My research also includes 3D technology and artificial intelligence, with the aim of improving diagnostic accuracy, optimizing treatment planning, and predicting treatment outcomes.
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.
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.
I am responsible for the Regional Clinic for Dentofacial Anomalies, where patients with diseases and developmental disorders resulting in facial deformities are treated. I teach orthodontics to future orthodontic specialists and dentists, with a particular focus on orthognathic surgery and orofacial conditions. Since 2008, I have been involved in developing an international research network (TMJaw) focusing on temporomandibular joint arthritis in children and adolescents.
