# A physico-mechanical model of postnatal craniofacial growth in human

## TL;DR

The paper introduces a computational model to simulate and predict human craniofacial growth, highlighting the mechanical interactions between skull components.

## Contribution

A validated biomechanical framework for predicting postnatal craniofacial growth in humans is developed.

## Key findings

- The model successfully predicts growth of the calvaria, face, and skull base.
- The skull base plays a crucial role in antero-posterior facial growth.
- Maxillary expansion contributes to dorsoventral facial growth and interacts with the orbits.

## Abstract

Our fundamental understanding of the physico-mechanical forces that drive the size and shape changes of the cranium during ontogeny are limited. Biomechanical models based on finite element method present a huge opportunity to address this critical gap in our knowledge. Here, we describe a validated computational framework to predict normal craniofacial growth. Our results demonstrated that this approach is capable of predicting the growth of calvaria, face, and skull base. We highlighted the crucial role of skull base in antero-posterior growth of the face and also demonstrated the contribution of the maxillary expansion to the dorsoventral growth of the face and its interplay with the orbits. These findings highlight the importance of physical interactions of different components of the craniofacial system. The computational framework described here serves as a powerful tool to study fundamental questions in developmental biology and to advance treatment of conditions affecting the craniofacial system such as craniosynostosis.

•Presented a geometrically complete biomechanical newborn skull model•Developed a computational framework to predict postnatal craniofacial growth in human•Investigated the mechanical interactions among calvaria, skull base, and face•Evaluated the level of mechanical strain that craniofacial system experiences

Presented a geometrically complete biomechanical newborn skull model

Developed a computational framework to predict postnatal craniofacial growth in human

Investigated the mechanical interactions among calvaria, skull base, and face

Evaluated the level of mechanical strain that craniofacial system experiences

Developmental biology; In silico biology; Biological constraints