Influence of masticatory muscle function on craniofacial growth in hypocalcemic rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of low masticatory function on the craniofacial growth pattern in rats fed a low calcium and vitamin D deficient diet. Male growing rats were divided randomly into three groups: the Normal Hard Diet group, the Deficient Soft Diet group, and the Deficient Hard Diet Group. Lateral cephalograms were taken at days 0, 14 and at the end of the experiment, day 28. The craniofacial growth pattern was altered by an upwards rotation of the viscerocranium (orthocranialization) in the Deficient groups and, the total skull lengths were shorter than in the Normal Hard Diet group. The viscerocranium in the Deficient Soft Diet group was in an even more orthocranial position than in the Deficient Hard Diet group and the antegonial notch was shallower. This indicates that an induced disturbance of craniofacial morphology due to metabolic bone disease during growth is accentuated by a low masticatory function.