The primary type of joint found in the skull are sutures, which are immobile joints.
Sutures: The Immovable Joints of the Cranium
Sutures are unique joints found exclusively in the cranium, or the skull. These joints are characterized by their immobility, providing stability and protection for the brain.
- Immobility: Sutures are designed to be rigid, preventing movement between the skull bones.
- Location: They are specifically located in the cranium, connecting the various bones that form the skull's protective structure.
- Fontanelles: The spaces between the bones in an infant skull are called "fontanelles." These are areas of soft connective tissue that allow for slight mobility of the skull bones during birth and brain growth. As the infant grows, these fontanelles gradually close and the sutures become more rigid. The skull's plate-like bones are slightly mobile at birth because of the soft connective tissue binding them in the fontanelles.
Example of a Suture
One prominent example of a suture is the coronal suture.
