Growth of the hard palate between the ages of 6 and 10 years: A longitudinal study

Several studies have found that the shape of the palate can affect articulation of speech sounds, but not much information is available characterizing the three-dimensional shape of the palate. This is especially important in children, since their speech is maturing at the same time that the palate is still growing. This study examines the longitudinal growth of the palate from 8 children between the ages of 6 and 10 years, based on high-resolution three-dimensional digitized palate impressions. Measures of palate width, height, depth, and symmetry were derived from three anatomically defined points: the marginal gingiva between the front teeth, and between the second premolar and the first molar on both sides. While palate height was most difficult to measure accurately, it was also most highly correlated with age (R2 = .42, p<.001), while palate depth, width, and symmetry were poorly correlated with age (R2<.07, p>.17). Age and standing height were strongly correlated (R2 = .77, p<.001). At the individual level, palate height appeared to grow linearly with age, while the growth of palate width and depth was nonlinear and even non-monotonic, indicating a complex interaction between growth and the ongoing structural rearrangement of dentition in this age group. [Work supported, in part, by the NSF.]