A longitudinal radiographic study of the periosteal migration along the growing rabbit mandible.

In the present study, the role of the periosteum in mandibular growth was investigated. The orientation of the superficial bony spicules of rabbit mandibles was determined on dry skulls after perfusion of the animals with an India ink solution. The spicular orientation in the ramus area appeared to be toward the condyle, rostrally toward the incisors, and caudally toward the angular region. The behavior, during growth, of the periosteum in the caudal mandibular half was studied by implantation of metal periosteal and bone markers. A series of cephalograms revealed the migration pattern of the periosteal markers, and by that the migration pattern of the periosteum. It can be concluded that both the pattern of the superficial bony spicules and the periosteal migration pattern suggest a possible influence of the periosteum on mandibular growth.