6/24/2011

GROWTH &
DEVELOPMENT OF
SKULL
LECTURE IV
By

DR. ULFAT BASHIR

MCPS, FCPS (Orth)

Professor (Orthodontics)
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DEVELOPMENT OF SKULL
Skull develops in 3 parts by the mesenchyme
incorporated with NCC

Development of Skull

Neurocranium Basicranium Viscerocranium

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GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT OF

CALVARIA

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 Developing brain is covered by a distinct

capsular membrane, that further has two layers

 An inner endomeninx (NCC in origin) &

 Outer ectomeninx (originates from NCC &

paraxial mesoderm)

 The endomeninx forms the leptomeninges (pia &

arachnoid)

 While ectomeninx give rise to an inner

unossified layer dura mater & an outer
superficial membrane with osteogenic &
chondrogenic properties
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 Osteogenesis occurs on superior, lateral

& posterior aspects to form the skull
vault / calvaria or neuro-cranium

 Chondrogenesis occurs on basal or

inferior aspect to make the base of skull /
basi-cranium

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 The bones of the vault start forming by

appearance of primary ossification centers (by
intra-membranous ossification)

 The ossification centers appear for frontal,

parietal, squamous temporal & supra-nuchal
area of occipital bone at different times in intra-
uterine life

 Some of the bones are completed by appearance

of secondary ossification centers

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 Some unusual ossification centers appear at

about lambdoid suture to form wormian bones
(intra-parietal bone)

 The mesenchyme between individual bones

develops fibers to form syndesmotic (sutural)
articulations

 Six of the fontanelles (membranous gaps) are

found at birth naming; anterior median,
posterior median, two antero-lateral (sphenoid)
& two postero-lateral (mastoid)

 These fontanelles allow the head to be

sufficiently flexible during birth ULFAT

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GROWTH OF CALVARIA

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GROWTH OF CALVARIA
 Growth of the calvaria is the combination of;

o Sutural growth

o Remodeling

o Displacement by expanding brain

• Postnatal bone growth results in narrowing of sutures &

elimination of fontanelles

• The sutures acquire their ultimate synostotic union in old

age (they gradually ossify)

• At birth neuro-cranium achieves, 25 % of its ultimate

growth, 50 % by 6 months, 75 % by 2 yrs, 95 % by 10 yrs
(facial skeleton acquires only 65 % by this time)

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GROWTH OF CALVARIA
o The ultimate shape & size of the cranial vault is dependent
upon the internal pressures exerted on cranial bones

o The bones of calvaria lack diploe at birth, after 4 yrs of age

they appear to form outer & inner tables of bones

o The sutures are dominant in growth in first 4 yrs but later,

it grows predominantly by surface remodeling

o The frontal bone grows by remodeling in outer table by

remodeling in frontal sinus (pneumatization)

o Growth of the outer tables result into formation of

superciliary arches, mastoid processes, external occipital
protuberance, & temporal & nuchal lines during childhood

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CLINICAL ANOMALIES
o The calvaria is susceptible to a number of congenital
defects (ranging from chromosomal to hormonal in their
etiology)

o The time of closure of sutures (early synostosis) at

different levels result into distortion of the skull shapes

 Trigno-cephaly (by premature closure of metopic suture)

 Brachio-cephaly (by sagittal suture)

 Dolicho-cephaly (by coronal / lambdoid suture)

 Plagio-cephaly (by either coronal or lambdoid suture)

 Micro-cephaly

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CLINICAL ANOMALIES

ULFAT

THA
NK
YOU

Email; orthoraja69@hotmail.com