Development of Face

Shreepriya Khurana
I MDS
Dept of Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge
 Introduction

Developmental Periods

Specific Development of Various Parts of Face

Learning
Objectives Developmental anomalies

Conclusion

References
Development

A process where someone or something grows or

changes and becomes more advanced.

Human development is a continuous process that

does not stop at birth. It continues later for increase
in the size of body, eruption of teeth, etc
 Developmental periods
Prenatal Postnatal
• Pre Embryonic • Neonatal period
• Embryonic • Infancy
• Fetal • Childhood
• Puberty
• Adolescence
• Adulthood
• Middle Age
• Old age
• During 4th week of
development, two prominent
bulgings appear on the
ventral aspect of the
developing embryo,
separated by the
stomatodeum.

• 1. Developing brain cranially

• 2. Pericardium caudally
• Mesoderm covering the
developing forebrain proliferates
and forms a downward projection
that overlaps the upper part of
stomatodeum known as
Frontonasal Process
• Stomatodeum is bound on each
side by the first pharyngeal arch.

• Hence, Face is derived from-

• 1. Frontonasal process from above

• 2. Mandibular arch on each side
Mandibular arch gives off a bud from it’s dorsal end
(MAXILLARY PROCESS) that grows ventromedially cranial to
the main part of the arch (MANDIBULAR PROCESS)
Primordia for Face Development

Frontonasal
Unpaired
Process
Maxillary
Process
Paired
Mandibular
Process
 Ectoderm over frontonasal
process shows bilateral
localized thickenings – NASAL
PLACODES

Thickenings sink below

surface- NASAL PITS

Edges of the pits are raised-

MESIAL AND LATERAL NASAL
PROCESS
Development of various
parts of face
 Mandibular
processes grow Fuse in the midline
towards each other

Form lower margin

LOWER LIP
of stomatodeum
 • Mesodermal basis of the lateral part of the lip is
Maxillary process grows medially formed from the maxillary process. The overlying
skin is derived from ectoderm covering this process.
• The mesodermal basis of the median part of the lip
(philtrum) is formed from the frontonasal process.
The ectoderm of the maxillary process, overgrows
Fuse with lateral and then medial nasal this mesoderm to meet that of the opposite
process maxillary process in the midline.

Medial and lateral nasal process fuse with

each other

Stomatodeum gets bound above by the

UPPER LIP
 Developmental
Anomalies
Harelip:
• Unilateral harelip: failure of fusion of
maxillary process with medial nasal process
on one side
• Bilateral harelip: failure of fusion of both
maxillary processes with the medial nasal
process
• Midline cleft of upper lip: Defective
development of the lowermost part of the
frontonasal process

Cleft of lower lip

When the two mandibular processes do not
fuse with each other the lower lip shows a
defect in the midline. The defect usually
extends into the jaw .
Progressive fusion of maxillary and mandibular
process after development of upper and lower
lips

Formation of CHEEKS
The maxillary process fuses
with the lateral nasal This line of fusion is marked A strip of ectoderm buried
process extending from by NASOOPTIC FURROW/ along this furrow gives rise
stomatodeum to medial NASOOPTIC SULCUS to NASOLACRIMAL DUCT
angle of developing eye
EYE

• The lens placode sinks below the surface and is

eventually cut off from the surface ectoderm with the
developing eyeball produces a bulging in this situation
• The bulgings of the eyes are at first directed laterally
and eventually face forward with narrowing of
Frontonasal process
• Eyelids are derived from folds of ectoderm that are
formed above and below the eyes, and by mesoderm
enclosed within the folds
NOSE

Fusion of maxillary
Nasal pits cut off from Formation of external
process with median
stomatodeum nares
nasal process

Nares approach each Deeper part forms

other as frontonasal NASAL SEPTUM and
process becomes mesoderm forms
narrower PROMINENCE OF NOSE
The external form of the nose is established with
the fusion of five processes-
• Frontonasal process forms the bridge of the
nose.
• Fused medial nasal processes form the dorsum
and tip of nose.
• Lateral nasal processes form the alae of the
nose.
Nasal Cavity • Extension of the nasal pits.
• The nasal pits deepen to form the nasal sacs which expand
both dorsally and caudally.
• The dorsal part of this sac is separated from the
stomatodeum by the bucconasal membrane which soon
breaks down.
• The nasal sac has a ventral orifice that opens on the face
(anterior or external nares), and a dorsal orifice that opens
into the stomatodeum (primitive posterior nasal
aperture).
• Narrowing of Frontonasal process enlarges the nasal
cavities
Paranasal Sinus • Diverticula from the nasal cavity which
gradually invade the bones and then expand.
• The paranasal sinuses are ectodermal in
origin.
• The maxillary and sphenoidal sinuses begin
to develop before birth. The other sinuses
develop after birth.
• Their enlargement is associated with overall
enlargement of the facial skeleton, including
the jaws which provides space in the jaws for
growth and eruption of teeth.
Palate

Primary/primitive palate-
develops from frontonasal
process

Secondary palate/palatal
processes-
develop from maxillary
process
Definitive Palate Formation

Fusion of
Fusion of both Fusion of
palatal
palatal palatal
processes of
processes of processes with
maxilla with
maxilla nasal septum
primitive palate
Clinical Correlation
• Complete cleft palate:
• Bilateral complete cleft: Failure of fusion of
both palatine processes of maxilla with
premaxilla. A y-shaped cleft will be present
between primary and secondary palate and
between the two halves of secondary palate.
It presents bilateral cleft of upper lip
• Unilateral complete cleft: Non fusion of one
side palatine process of maxilla with
premaxilla. It presents unilateral cleft of upper
lip
• Incomplete cleft palate:
• Cleft of hard and soft palate
• Cleft limited to soft
• Bifid uvula: Cleft limited to uvula
Conclusion
References
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology- Eleventh edition
Thank You