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The human skull is composed of several bones that come together to protect the brain and support the structures of the face. The junctions where these bones meet are called sutures.
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The superior view of the cranium shows the frontal and paired parietal bones.
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Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 4, 2025

Visualization of the Superior Ocular Sulcus during Danio rerio Embryogenesis

Visualization of the Superior Ocular Sulcus during Danio rerio Embryogenesis

Published on: March 27, 2019

When does the spheno-occipital synchondrosis close?

Stuart W McDonald¹, Jennifer Miller¹

¹Department of Chemistry and Forensics, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.

Clinical Anatomy (New York, N.Y.)

|February 10, 2022

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The spheno-occipital synchondrosis

Keywords:

age at death archaeology basilar suture cranium forensic fusion scar ossification osteology spheno-occipital synchondrosis

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Area of Science:

Forensic anthropology
Human osteology
Developmental biology

Background:

The spheno-occipital synchondrosis is crucial for age estimation in forensic investigations.
Previous assumptions suggested closure between late teens and 25 years, but recent findings indicate earlier closure in adolescence.
Factors like ancestry and imaging techniques may influence recorded age at closure.

Purpose of the Study:

To comprehensively review literature on spheno-occipital synchondrosis closure over the past 60 years.
To assess variability in closure age and potential influencing factors.
To provide updated, evidence-based guidance for forensic age estimation.

Main Methods:

Systematic literature review of studies published in the last 60 years.
Analysis of reported ages of spheno-occipital synchondrosis closure.
Comparison of findings based on study populations, methodologies (bony specimens vs. clinical imaging), and potential biases.

Main Results:

Spheno-occipital synchondrosis closure is highly variable, ranging from childhood to the mid-twenties.
No clear association found between closure age and geographical location.
Discrepancies in closure timing may stem from misinterpretation of the "fusion scar" and differences between bony specimen and clinical imaging studies.

Conclusions:

The variability in spheno-occipital synchondrosis closure necessitates caution in forensic age estimation.
A closed synchondrosis reliably indicates an individual aged 6 years or older.
An open synchondrosis can be observed up to the mid-twenties, requiring supplementary methods like dentition and postcranial epiphyses for refined age assessment.