Erik Arne Björk (22 December 1911 – 5 February 1996) was a Swedish dentist famous for his ''The Face in Profile'' Analysis which he published in 1947. He is also known to develop the implant radiography.

Education

Björk was born in

Ludvika Ludvika () is a bimunicipal Urban areas in Sweden, city and the seat of Ludvika Municipality, Dalarna County within the country of Sweden, with 14,498 inhabitants in 2010. Overview The conurbation of Ludvika extends over the border of Smedjebacke ...

, Sweden. He received his dental training in

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

. He practiced dentistry from 1937 to 1951. He served as chairman of orthodontics in

Malmö Malmö is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, sixth-largest city in Nordic countries, the Nordic region. Located on ...

, Sweden from 1940 to 1950. He then served as Professor of Orthodontics in

Royal Dental College Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, ...

, Denmark. During his studying, he published his thesis called "Face in the Profile" which made him famous in the orthodontic circles. Eventually, he became the head of Department of Orthodontics and head of Craniofacial Growth Center at the Royal Dental College for next 30 years. He was nominated as member of

World Federation of Orthodontists World Federation of Orthodontists (WFO) is a worldwide federation of a medical associations for orthodontists that was formed at the 4th International Orthodontic Congress (IOC) in San Francisco by 69 affiliated organizations on May 15, 1995, a ...

in 1995.

Implant Radiography

Björk was one of the first people to work on Implant Radiography. He, along with his coworkers, placed metal pins in bones of jaws and other parts of the skeleton. They then looked at these pins in a Cephalometric Analysis to assess the growth pattern of a growing individual. This technique was instrumental in providing a way to study the grown pattern of a human mandible. Previously to his work, the information about how rotation of jaws playing a role in growth of maxilla and mandible was under-appreciated. Björk, through his research, defined concepts of Forward Rotation and Backward Rotation of jaws. He defined Forward Rotation of jaw where the posterior growth of maxilla and mandible is greater than the anterior and Backward Rotation as where the anterior growth of jaws is greater than the posterior areas. Björk also developed seven structural signs that helped find the direction of the growth of the mandible, also known as Bjork Analysis. # Inclination of Condylar Head # Curvature of Mandibular Canal # Shape of Lower border of Mandible # Inclination of Symphysis # Interincisal Angle # Intermolar or Interpremolar Angles # Lower Anterior Facial Height

Awards and recognitions

* Honorary member of World Federations of Orthodontists *

Albert Ketcham Albert H. Ketcham (August 3, 1870 – December 5, 1935) was an American orthodontist and a past president of the American Society of Orthodontists. Life and career He was born in Whiting, Vermont, and attended high school at Vermont Academy, ...

Memorial Award - 1973 * Chairman of Orthodontic Department at Malmö, Sweden 1949-1950 * Orthodontic Professor at Royal Dental College, 1951-1981 * Sheldon Friel Memorial Lecture - 1980

References

Swedish dentists Orthodontists 1911 births 1996 deaths 20th-century dentists People from Ludvika {{Sweden-med-bio-stub