The Areas of Various Surfaces in the Human Mouth from Nine Years to Adulthood

Abstract

Surface area measurements of five regions of the oral cavity were made from study casts of 57 subjects with an age range from 9.3 to 19 years. While the longitudinal pattern of growth exhibited by the total of the five areas, when subgroups were compared, was characterized by a steady increase to around puberty (13 years), followed by a plateau, different areas showed different patterns of growth. Increase in the surface area of the teeth was associated with the eruption of the second and third molars, whereas the area of the buccal lingual mucosa continued to increase into adult life. The palate, buccal vestibular mucosa, and dorsum of the tongue demonstrated a typically skeletal pattern of growth, i.e., increase until puberty with a rapid cessation thereafter. The results of this study indicate the need for longitudinal data to further knowledge concerning growth of the oral cavity.