[The function-dependent morphogenesis of the visceral cranium].

The growth pattern of the facial skull is described by the method of coordinate transformation and simulated in a computer model under the presumption of different growth gradients. The law of functional adaptation of the bone, as it has been proved for the postcranial skeleton, has been applied to the skull. The mechanical stress of the facial skull results from the masticatory function. Due to the complex architecture of the facial skeleton, the stress pattern cannot be determined with sufficient accuracy, needed for a detailed prediction of the growth processes. However, the exact knowledge of the mechanical stresses of single teeth allows the explanation of their positional changes by remodeling processes on the alveolar wall.