The pediatric mandible: I. A primer on growth and development.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Describe embryonic and fetal mandibular development. 2. Summarize the aggregate changes in mandibular form from birth to puberty. 3. Describe the eruption and maturation of the deciduous and permanent mandibular dentition. BACKGROUND In this, the first of two articles addressing the surgical management of pediatric mandibular fractures, the authors provide a detailed discussion of mandibular development and anatomy during the fetal period, infancy, and childhood. METHODS A review of the pertinent literature was performed. The changing structure of the developing mandible is discussed, with particular attention to surgically relevant anatomical structures. RESULTS Throughout development, key anatomical structures with relevance to surgical therapy change markedly in position. The mandible undergoes significant change in its bony structure and the composition of its surrounding soft tissues. The mandible's bony structure becomes more robust, with an increasingly acute gonial angle and enlargement of the ramus and body. Furthermore, the mandible provides the bony structure from which tooth buds erupt as the deciduous and permanent dentition--a process that generates significant growth of the alveolar process. As a consequence, the distance between the developing dentition and the inferior mandibular border increases. While the canal of the inferior alveolar nerve undergoes significant superior displacement, the mental foramen becomes positioned more posteriorly over time. In addition, the ligamentous and muscular attachments that surround the temporomandibular joint become increasingly robust. Throughout childhood and adolescence, the blood supply of the mandibular body changes little, with the buccal periosteal plexus and inferior dental artery making significant contributions. CONCLUSIONS Mandibular growth provides the basis for normal occlusal relations and the generation of increasingly large masticatory force. Although the exact mechanisms of bone remodeling during mandibular development remain unclear, the process likely receives contributions from primary growth centers and the response to local alterations in biomechanical force produced by surrounding soft-tissue structures. A working knowledge of the changing mandibular anatomy is a prerequisite for effective clinical management of traumatic injury.