Résumé
Objectives:Numerous tools have been developed to characterize the morphometryof 3D models. The aim of this study was to apply these techniques to better under-stand the morphometric growth pattern of healthy children's mandibles.Material and Methods:The study sample was composed of 480 very young childrenaged from 36 gestational weeks to 7 years old. The sample was divided into threesubsamples according to the development stages of their deciduous dentition. Sev-eral biometric data were collected on 3D mandibular models.Results:There was homothetic growth during the first years of life. Once all decidu-ous teeth were fully erupted, the mandibular corpus warped more independently ofthe ramus, and the inter-individual variability was more pronounced. Throughout thegrowth period, several subgroups could be identified, highlighting the morphologicalgrowth pattern of the mandible.Conclusions:A particular morphogenesis of the mandible during the growth periodwas observed, which was correlated with deciduous dentition development. In youn-ger individuals, this morphological pattern was mainly characterized by the progres-sive closure of the chin symphysis and ramus growth. The tongue movements in theoral space, depending on whether the child was bottle- or breast-fed, may explainthis result. As the children grew older, the mandible widened to create sufficientspace for the developing teeth buds. During the eruption of deciduous dentition, themandible took on various morphologies, which was likely based on the child's sex anddiet. Therefore, we assume that this mandibular morphogenesis is induced by thefunctional strains affecting the mandible during deciduous teeth development.