Model of a fetal skull with fontanelles corresponding to pregnancy week 38

Anatomically, it must be emphasized that the fetal skull allows the fontanelles to be seen. Although a child has 6 of these areas (holes) at birth, we often only talk about a front and back fontanelle.



All 6 fontanelles are seen on the fetal skull:



The large anterior fontanelle
The posterior fontanelle
Right anterior lateral fontanelle
Right posterior lateral fontanelle
Left anterior lateral fontanelle
Left posterior lateral fontanelle


Generally speaking, the human skull can be divided into 2 parts, and the fetal skull therefore shows the development of the following:



1) The braincase (neurocranium), which is intended to enclose the brain and the hearing-equilibrium organ



2) The facial skeleton (viscerocranium) which surrounds the nasal cavity and forms the tooth-bearing framework around the oral cavity.

In terms of movement, only the jaw joint is relevant to emphasize, where the lower jaw can be detached and fixed on the skull via small magnets

Clinically speaking, the model has been developed to understand fontanelles, which not infrequently worry new parents. It is also ideal for understanding conditions such as craniosynostosis and the formation of independent suture bones (ossa suturalia/Wormiana) as well as the development and function of sutures in relation to forms of treatment such as osteopathy and Cranio-Sacral Therapy.