The functional matrix hypothesis proposes that the growth and development of skeletal tissues is a secondary response to functional demands imposed by non-skeletal tissues like muscles and organs. It was first formulated in the 1860s and developed by Melvin Moss in the 1960s. The hypothesis states that the craniofacial skeleton adapts and remodels according to mechanical forces from functional matrices like muscles, nerves and blood vessels. Growth occurs through transformation and translation of bones driven by the expansion of surrounding capsular matrices like the neurocranial and orofacial capsules. Clinical support includes mandibular growth changes after condylectomies and effects of airway dysfunction on facial development.
3. Initial formulation
Form and function are intimately related
1867 – Effect of function on bone – femur-
Anatomist Meyer & mathematician Culmann –
Theory of “Trajectory of bone formation”
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4. Initial formulation
• 1870 – Julius Wolff – stated that the
external morphology & internal architecture
of bone is directly proportional to the
functional forces acting upon it
• Modern restatement – WILHELM HIS –
1874 – “physiology of the plastic”
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5. Initial formulation
• Wilhelm Roux & Hans Driesch –
ENTWICKLUNGMECHANIK (developmental mechanism)
• Benninghoff showed that the stress trajectories
obeyed no individual bone limits but rather the
demands of the functional forces
• “Functional cranial component” – Vander
Klauuwwww.indiandentalacademy.com
7. Development of a concept
Dept of anatomy – university of columbia
(1948-51)
“problems of cranial growth in general and
the role of sutures in particular”
Books –
“The development of the vertebral skull – Gaven de beer
“on growth and form” - Thompson
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8. Development of a concept
10 yrs – extensive study
1960 – 1st
paper – YOUNG – American journal of
physical anthropology
1962 – 2nd
major paper - orthodontic community
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9. Point of view
• ‘If neither bone or cartilage were the
determinants for craniofacial growth , it
would appear that the control would have to
be in the adjacent soft tissues’
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10. Classic statement – 1981
• The functional matrix hypothesis claims
that the origin , growth & maintenance of
all skeletal tissues and organs are always
secondary , compensatory and obligatory
responses to temporally and operationally
prior events or processes that occur in
specifically related non-skeletal tissues,
organs or functioning spaces
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11. Basic concept of growth
• Transformation (remodelling)
-change in size and shape
-osseous deposition and resorption
• Translation (displacement)
-change in spatial position
-without osseous deposition and
resorption
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13. Functional cranial component
Skeletal unit Functional matrices
Macroskeletal
Eg-endocranial
surface Of calvaria
Microskeletal
Eg-coronoid,
angular
Periosteal
Eg-teeth and
muscles
Capsular
Eg-orofacial,
neurocranial
Components & concepts
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14. Concepts and components
Head and neck region carry out number of
functions
-Respiration
-Olfaction
-Vision
-Hearing
-Balance
-Chewing
-Digestion
-Swallowing
-Speech
-Neural integration
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15. Components & concepts
• Functional cranial component (FCC) – The
tissues, organs, spaces & skeletal parts necessary
to carry out a given function
• Functional matrix – non-skeletal tissues of a FCC
eg-muscles, glands, nerve ,vessels, teeth
• Skeletal unit – skeletal tissues which protect or
support the functional matrix eg-bone,cartilage &
tendinuous tissue
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16. Skeletal unit
Microskeletal unit– bone composed of several
contiguous skeletal units
eg . Mandible – alveolar
angular
condylar
coronoid
basal
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18. Skeletal unit
• Macroskeletal unit - adjoining portions of
number of neighbouring bones carrying out
a single function
eg-endocranial surface of calvaria
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20. Periosteal matrix
• These are non-skeletal functioning units
adjacent to the skeletal unit.
• Produce secondary – compensatory
transformation
• Best eg:- role of temporalis – coronoid
process
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21. Periosteal matrix
• Removal,denervation –
postinfectively/post-traumatically - decrease
in the size or total disappearance
• Functional hypertrophy/hyperactivity-
increase in size and change in shape
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22. Capsular matrix
• FCC (skeletal + functional matrices)
capsules
• Each capsule is a envelope sandwiching the
FCC in b/w its layers
• Arise , grow, exist , operate & maintained
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29. Neurocranial capsule
• Two important factors
volume of the neural mass
Total neural mass – morphologically significant –
than amount of brain tissue
Expansion of the neurocranial capsule
Primary event – expansion of capsular matrices –
compensatory expansion of capsule – translation of
FCC
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30. Neurocranial capsule
• Hydrocephaly
-- passive , non – periosteal translative
growth produced by capsular matrices
--The expansion of the NCC is always
proportional to the increase in neural mass
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33. Orofacial capsule
• Patency – functional unit
• Related to the general metabolic demands
of the body
• Respiratory functional space volume –
dominant cranial functioning space
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34. Orofacial capsule
WORK OF BOSMA
Primary function – maintenance of patent
airway
Dynamic musculoskeletal postural balance –
“Airway Maintenance Mechanism”
Airway maintained throughout range of
motion of head & neck
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35. Orofacial capsule
• Embryonic development
--originate by process of enclosure
--formation of palate – nasal & oral portions
--Volumetric growth of these spaces is the
primary morphogenetic event in facial skull
growth
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36. Support for the hypothesis
mandibular growth
--bilateral condylectomy – does not effect growth or spatial
movement of acondylar contiguous structures
Hydrocephaly
Microcephaly
Size of eye and orbit
Teeth and alveolar bonewww.indiandentalacademy.com
38. CLINICAL ASPECTS
• Etiology of m o due to deficient functioning
eg – mouth breathing,
tongue thrusting,
digit sucking
• Growth modulation is based upon this theory
• Appliances are used to either transmit, eliminate
or guide the natural forces of musculaturewww.indiandentalacademy.com
39. CLINICAL ASPECTS
• Palate splitting – adjustive and
compensatory reactions of sutural
connective tissue and the immediate
sensitive response of membranous bone to
tensional forces
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40. Shortcomings
• No clear explanation of how functional
needs are transmitted to the tissues around
mouth and nose – Proffit
• Does not suggest unitary mechanism
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