Artificial Deformation and Cranio-facial Asymmetry in Ancient Peruvians

¹ Orthodontic Department, Royal Dental College, Copenhagen, Denmark

The effect of asymmetrical artificial deformation of the head during the first years of life on the development of the cranial base and the facial skeleton has been studied on 149 adult crania of ancient Peru. It was found that asymmetric occipital deformation usually results in a shortening of the cranial base on the more deformed side so that the mandibular fossa is displaced ventrally on the same side. The mid-line of the face did not develop asymmetry to the same extent as the cranial base because the growth of the mandible and maxilla was less on the deformed side. This effect is referred to as compensatory asymmetry of the jaws, as distinct from the dysplastic asymmetry that occurs in unilateral hyper- or hypoplasia of the mandibular condyle.

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