How does the seam of the skull change with age?

The human skull is not only the most important bone formation, but also the most visually conspicuous. Therefore, all of its changes can not go unnoticed. The stages of such transformations are quite relative and each person has individual, but there are general principles depending on age.

Throughout life, the human skull undergoes many changes. This primarily concerns its appearance. Conventionally, there are five long periods of such transformations. Let's consider each of them in more detail.

The first period

This period is the most active stage of head growth and lasts for the first seven years of a person's life. From the moment of birth and up to six months, the brain volume of the skull almost doubles. By the age of two, its volume has tripled, and by the age of five it is three-fourths the volume of the entire skull. This relationship lasts a lifetime. It is during this period that the cranial fossa deepens considerably, and the occipital part of the head begins to protrude. In addition, the membranous tissue of the cranial vault and the cartilaginous tissue in the occipital bone are modified and gradually disappear. The first (the initial stage) of formation of the seams of the bone skeleton of the head takes place. This period is extremely important, since the seam of the skull is not just intended for fastening the bones of the head to each other, but, more importantly, is the place of their growth in width.

Classification of the seams of the skull

Sutures are divided according to their shape into the following:

• Cogged;
• Scaly;
• Flat.

The serrated seam of the skull is formed by two bony surfaces, when one has protrusions, and on the other - the notches that fill these protrusions. This type of joint is the most durable. When superimposed two edges of the adjacent bones, a scaly seam of the skull is formed. All seams are filled with connective tissue, giving strength and mobility to such compounds. And the third type of joints is flat. The flat seam of the skull is formed by the contact of slightly wavy or completely flat surfaces of bones. With the help of this type of joints, the bones of the facial skull are connected to each other, and their name depends on the interconnected bone formations.

Second period of changes

Over the next five years, the bones of the head grow much more slowly. There is a visually more noticeable change in the growth and shape of the facial part of the skull (eye sockets, nasal cavity and upper jaw). Closed yet in the period of newborn ferns completely disappear, and the seams are filled with connective taknu.

The third period

This period coincides with the sexual maturation of a person and lasts for ten years (from 14-15 years of age to 25 years). There is a final growth of the skull and the entire axial skeleton. In this period of life (in contrast to the previous two), there is a more intensive growth of the facial skull, and not the cerebral cranium. The seam of the skull, as anatomical formation, becomes more durable, and the period of its ossification begins, which lasts until old age. The base of the skull increases in all directions, not just in width. Furrows, protrusions, knolls and airborne sinuses are finally formed.

The fourth period

From the age of 25 to 45, there is no change in the development of the bones of the head. During this period, the seam of the skull ossifies. In very rare cases, sutures can persist for life.

Fifth period

This stage lasts from the period of penetration of the sutures and to the very old age. There are more not anatomical changes, but structural ones. Visually changes the facial skull due to loss of teeth and atrophy of the alveolar processes. With age, the thickness of the spongy substance and the compact plate decreases, and the skull becomes lighter. In view of the resorption of bone tissue and changes in its mineral composition, the bones become more fragile, crack and break.

Conclusion

The human skull is the so-called skeleton of the head. This anatomical structure is extremely important not only to protect the brain and sensory organs. It shapes our appearance (face).

The seam of the skull, being a structural-functional unit, plays an important role in connecting the bones of the skull with each other. In children, the seams have great elasticity, and with age they ossify.

The stage of development of the skull bones has an age range. Thus, the period of the newborn, when the fontanelles still remain (the membranous stage), with the maturation of a person passes into the cartilaginous stage, and then into the bone.

By the time of birth does not complete the formation of the skull itself. There are five stages of its development. Thus, from the moment of birth to the school age (6-7 years), the skull grows predominantly in height, the next five to seven years are a period of relative dormancy, and with the onset of the puberty period and up to the age of 25, there are changes mainly in its facial part.