6/24/2011

GROWTH &
DEVELOPMENT OF
BASE OF SKULL
LECTURE VI
By

DR. ULFAT BASHIR

MCPS, FCPS (Orth)

Professor (Orthodontics)
ULFAT

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DEVELOPMENT OF BASE OF SKULL

(CHONDRO-CRANIUM)

ULFAT

BASE OF SKULL
Ectomeninx on its basal side (inferior aspect) develops into the
base of skull

The un-differentiated mesenchymal cells first make some mid

line & lateral pairs of cartilages in the future base of skull
area

These cartilages then develop into bones of base of skull by

intra-cartilaginous ossification

ULFAT

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BASE OF SKULL
The chondro-cranium is well defined by day 51 of prenatal life
& by day 57 have developed into a continuous cranio-
facial skeleton

ULFAT

BASE OF SKULL
The cartilages of the chondro-cranium are

MID LINE CARTILAGES (from behind – forwards)

Occipital sclerotomes
Parachordal Cartilage
Prochordal / Polar / Hypophyseal Cartilage
Nasal Capsule or Trabeculum Cranii (median = mesethmoid,
lateral = ectethmoid)

ULFAT

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BASE OF SKULL
The cartilages of the chondro-cranium are

PAIRED LATERAL CARTILAGES (from behind – forwards)

Otic Capsule
Ala-temporalis
Ala-orbitalis

ULFAT

BASE OF SKULL
The cartilages of the chondro-cranium make bones in this fashion

ULFAT

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BASE OF SKULL
The cartilages make individual bones in this fashion

OCCIPITAL BONE (Occipital sclerotomes + Para-chordal cartilages)

Infra-nuchal squamous 2 ossification centers 10th week

Basi-occipital 1 ossification center 11th week

Ex-occipital 2 ossification centers 12th week

ULFAT

BASE OF SKULL
The cartilages make individual bones in this fashion

TEMPORAL BONE (Otic Capsule):

Petrous temporal 14 ossification centers 16th week

Styloid process 2 ossification center (just before
& after birth)
Mastoid process 1 ossification center 2 years
after birth

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BASE OF SKULL
The cartilages make individual bones in this fashion

Sphenoid Bone (Hypophyseal + Ala-temporalis +

Ala-orbitalis):

Pre-sphenoid (Ethmoid bone to tuberculum sella of the body)

Post-sphenoid (Tuberculum sella to the basi-occiput)

Ala-temporalis (Greater wing of sphenoid)

Ala-orbitalis (Lesser wing of sphenoid)

ULFAT

BASE OF SKULL
The cartilages make individual bones in this fashion

ETHMOID BONE (Nasal Capsule):

* Mesethmoid (1 ossification center) = Septal cartilage
Perpendicular plate of Ethmoid
Crista galli
Para-median cribriform plate

* Ect-ethmoid (1 ossification center) = Ethmoidal labyrinth

(Bulla + Ethmoidal air cells)
Orbital plate of Ethmoid
Inferior nasal concha
ULFAT

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GROWTH OF
BASE OF SKULL

ULFAT

Spheno-occipital synchondrosis:
A cartilaginous joint between sphenoid & occipital bones responsible

for AP growth of the base of skull

It normally ossifies on its cerebral surface at 12 – 13 yrs in girls &

14 – 15 yrs in males & completes ossification at external surface by

20 yrs of age

ULFAT

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Spheno-occipital synchondrosis:
The prolonged growth period allows for posterior expansion of the
maxilla to accommodate later erupting molars & space for growing
nasopharynx

It is not the major growth site pre-natally, but postnatally, more bone
deposits on occipital than sphenoid bone

Premature closure of the synchondrosis results in depressed nasal

bridge & dished face as characterized by many cranio-facial anomalies

Spheno-ethmoidal synchondrosis:
A cartilaginous joint between sphenoid & ethmoid bones responsible

for AP growth of base of skull & it normally ossifies by 6 yrs of age

ULFAT

ULFAT

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BASE OF SKULL
Anterior Cranial Fossa:
It displaces the naso-maxillary complex thru nasal septum & is
responsible for the downward & forward growth of the jaw

Middle Cranial Fossa:

It displaces both naso-maxillary complex & mandible thru cranial –
flexure angle (acute or obtuse angles may cause skeletal class II

or class III problems)

Middle cranial fossa also affects the mandible thru TMJ to cause any
displacement in the lower jaw (by 8th – 10th week of i.u. Meckel’s
cartilage articulates with otic capsule, to act as primitive TMJ)

ULFAT

THA
NK
YOU

Email; orthoraja69@hotmail.com