Final answer:
The four important cranial sutures are the sagittal, coronal, lambdoid, and squamous sutures, which are crucial for normal skull growth and brain development. Premature closure of these sutures can lead to conditions like craniosynostosis, affecting the skull's shape and the development of the brain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The four important sutures of the cranial vault are the sagittal, coronal, lambdoid, and squamous sutures. The sagittal suture is located at the top of the skull, running from the frontal to the occipital bone, separating the two parietal bones. The coronal suture runs across the top of the skull from ear to ear, separating the parietal bones from the frontal bone.
The lambdoid suture is found at the back of the head and separates the parietal bones from the occipital bone. The squamous sutures are on the sides of the skull, above the ear, separating the parietal and temporal bones. During normal development, these sutures close as a child grows, but in conditions like craniosynostosis, they may close prematurely, affecting skull shape and brain development.