title: Pubertal growth of the cephalometric point gnathion: multilevel models for boys and girls.
abstract: Two-level polynomial models are used to summarize the amount Sella-Gnathion (S-Gn) and direction Nasion-Sella-Gnathion (N-S-Gn) of growth changes for the cephalometric landmark gnathion. Growth descriptions pertain to a mixed longitudinal sample of 209 French-Canadian children 10-15 years of age. The boy's growth curve attains mean minimum prepubertal velocity at 10.8 years and maximum pubertal velocity at 14.1 years. The girl's curve follows a cubic pattern, attaining maximum pubertal velocity at 12.1 years. Boys are larger than girls throughout the age range. Variation between-subjects increases with age in a curvilinear fashion. Growth direction of gnathion is more horizontally directed for girls than boys. Small but significant changes in growth direction occur between 10 and 15 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Faculté Médicine Dentaire, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Buschang
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tanguay
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Demirjian
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: LaPalme
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goldstein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002680:Chin / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000254:growth & development*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011627:Puberty; D012737:Sex Factors