Investigation of mandibular and neurocranial form

In a study of mandibular form, 19 traditional linear dimensions were found to be consistently greater for macrocephalics than microcephalics. As such dimensions combine both size and shape parameters together, their interpretation proved difficult. In order to examine specifically mandibular shape only, each mandibular outline form was digitized and subjected to the technique of medial axis transformation. The data indicate that the shape contrasts between the mandibles of macrocephalics and microcephalics are more complex than traditionally envisaged and emphasize the need for further study to ascertain the effect of genetic and environmental influences on mandibular form.