PRENATAL SAGITTAL GROWTH OF THE OSSEOUS COMPONENTS OF THE HUMAN PALATE

The human osseous palate consists of the palatine processes of the max illary bone anterior to the transverse palatine suture and the horizon tal processes of the palatine bone posterior to the suture. The purpos e of the present study was to analyze the sagittal growth of these dif ferent bone components bordering the transverse palatine suture. The m aterial comprised radiographs of cranial midsagittal tissue blocks fro m 44 human fetal specimens obtained by legally approved abortions. Ges tational age (GA) ranged from 10 to 26 weeks and crown-rump lengths (C RLs) from 50 to 240 mm. The lengths of the maxillary and palatine comp onents of the hard palate were measured with a digital caliper on 3x-e nlarged projections of the radiographs. A significant increase in the lengths of both palatal components occurred during the period investig ated. Regression analysis on GA showed a linear course of the growth c urve in the period studied and gave indirect evidence of a curvilinear shape in the period preceeding the one studied. Growth rates for the palatal dimensions were found to be proportional to that of CRL. The i ncrease in total length resulted predominantly from an increase in the anteroposterior dimension of the maxillary component.