THE POSTNATAL-DEVELOPMENT OF THE TEMPORAL PART OF THE HUMAN TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT - A QUANTITATIVE STUDY ON SKULLS

The morphology of the temporal part of the human temporomandibular joi nt (TMJ) changes drastically during postnatal development. The glenoid fossa will acquire its characteristic S shape and a tubercle will dev elop. The combined results of the literature and of this study allow a reconstruction of the actual growth processes. The roof of the glenoi d fossa appears to enlarge forward by remodeling while sagittal and ve rtical growth is mainly achieved by deposition at the top of the tuber cle. These latter changes result in a steeper slope of the eminence an d take place in 3 phases, parallelling the eruption of the first incis ors, the permanent first molars and the permanent second molars. While the zygomatic arch thickens by deposition at all surfaces, it also re models downward relative to the external meatus. As a result, the neon ate anulus occupies a lower position relative to this arch than does t he adult meatus.