BACKGROUND: The mechanical properties of 1–2-year-old pediatric cranial bones and sutures and their influential factors were studied to better understand how the pediatric calvarium reacts to loading.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cranial bone and suture specimens were extracted from seven fresh-frozen human infant cadavers (1.5±0.5 years old). Eight specimens were obtained from each subject: two frontal bones, two parietal bones, two sagittal suture samples, and two coronal suture samples. The specimens were tested in a three-point bend setup at 1.5 mm/s. The mechanical properties, such as ultimate stress, elastic modulus, and ultimate strain, were calculated for each specimen.

RESULTS: The ultimate stress and elastic modulus of the frontal bone were higher than those of the parietal bone (P<0.05). No differences were found between the coronal and sagittal sutures in ultimate stress, elastic modulus, or ultimate strain (P>0.05). The ultimate stress and elastic modulus of the frontal and parietal bones were higher than those of the sagittal and coronal sutures (P<0.05), whereas the opposite ultimate strain findings were revealed (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in ultimate stress, elastic modulus, or ultimate strain between the sagittal and coronal sutures. However, there were significant differences in ultimate stress, elastic modulus, and ultimate strain between the frontal and parietal bones as well as between the cranial bones and sutures.

Keywords: Cranial Sutures, Biomechanical Phenomena, Elasticity, Skull - physiology