In contrast, the metopic suture normally fuses in the first year of life — between 3 and 9 months of age usually. When the metopic suture fuses, the bone next to the suture will often thicken, creating a metopic ridge. The ridge may be subtle or obvious, but it is normal and usually goes away after a few years.
Is a Metopic Ridge normal?
This is a normal finding and does not require any treatment. The bone of the benign metopic ridge will remodel and flatten over time and does not require surgery. Discerning a benign metopic ridge from metopic craniosynostosis is critical to avoid unnecessary surgery.
Is Metopic Ridge serious?
The severity of metopic synostosis can vary widely, from mild and barely noticeable to serious and with several complications. If your child has mild metopic synostosis or just a metopic ridge, he may have no symptoms beyond a visible ridge in the middle of his forehead, and might not need any medical treatment.
When should I worry about Metopic Ridge?
While having a metopic ridge on its own is not harmful, a metopic ridge may be a sign of craniosynostosis. Craniosynostosis is a serious condition because when one of the sutures in the skull fuses prematurely, the brain does not have enough room to continue to grow.
How common is Metopic Ridge?
The places where these plates connect are called sutures or suture lines. They do not fully close until the 2nd or 3rd year of life. A metopic ridge occurs when the 2 bony plates in the front part of the skull join together too early. The metopic suture remains unclosed throughout life in 1 in 10 people.
At what age does the metopic suture close?
The Metopic suture which runs mid-line of the frontal bone will fuse normally with no skull defect between the ages of three(3) months of age and nine(9) months of age.
Will the ridge on my baby’s head go away?
In short, slightly misshapen heads are quite common right after birth. Fortunately, over the next several weeks the bones of your baby’s skull will almost assuredly round out and the ridges will disappear—assuming, that is, that your baby doesn’t spend too much time on their back with his head in any one position.
How common is Metopic craniosynostosis?
Metopic craniosynostosis is a rare type of craniosynostosis, a condition in which sutures in a baby’s skull fuse together prematurely. The defining feature of a child with this condition is a triangular-shaped head, with the narrow part at the front and the wide part at the back.
Do adults have Metopic Ridge?
The frontal bone has vertical portion (squama) and horizontal portion (orbital part). Some adults have a metopic or frontal suture in the vertical portion.
Is it normal to have a ridge on your forehead?
The skull is not perfectly round or smooth, so it is normal to feel slight bumps and ridges. However, a dent in the head, especially if it is new, requires a trip to the doctor to determine the cause.
