Biomechanics of the calvarium.

The authors question whether strengthening beams and spans for the calvarium really exist and, if so, what are their exact anatomic counterparts and their exact function in the resistance of the calvarium. They opine that this function is of secondary importance except for the frontal and internal occipital pillars. The resistance of the calvarium must rather be attributed to its sandwich structure, with local bracing where the constraints are too severe. While they believe in the existence of such braces as the occipital pillars between the calvarium and the endochondral skull base, they prefer the concept of the mastoid pillars. The mastoid process is a structure with a thin shell and alveolar content, which has the advantage of giving the sternocleidomastoid and digastric muscles a bigger area of attachment to a light structure.