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Figure 3. Mechanical properties of facial sutures and sutural mineralization front (SMF). The elastic moduli of the zygomaticotemporal, nasofrontal, and pre-maxillomaxillary sutures (open histograms), and their corresponding SMF (solid histograms). All data presented as means and standard errors, and subjected to multi-group comparison by ANOVA with Bonferroni tests. The elastic moduli of the PMS and its corresponding SMF were significantly higher than those of the ZTS and NFS, and their SMF, respectively. For each suture, the elastic modulus of SMF was significantly higher than its corresponding suture (*p < 0.05). The differences in the elastic moduli between the zygomaticotemporal and nasofrontal sutures were not statistically significant, nor were differences in their corresponding SMF.
