Quantitative cervical vertebral maturation assessment in adolescents with normal occlusion: a mixed longitudinal study.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to establish a quantitative cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) system for adolescents with normal occlusion.


METHODS
Mixed longitudinal data were used. The subjects included 87 children and adolescents from 8 to 18 years old with normal occlusion (32 boys, 55 girls) selected from 901 candidates. Sequential lateral cephalograms and hand-wrist films were taken once a year for 6 years. The lateral cephalograms of all subjects were divided into 11 maturation groups according to the Fishman skeletal maturity indicators. The morphologic characteristics of the second, third, and fourth cervical vertebrae at 11 developmental stages were measured and analyzed.


RESULTS
Three characteristic parameters (H4/W4, AH3/PH3, @2) were selected to determine the classification of CVM. With 3 morphologic variables, the quantitative CVM system including 4 maturational stages was established. An equation that can accurately estimate the maturation of the cervical vertebrae was established: CVM stage=-4.13+3.57xH4/W4+4.07xAH3/PH3+0.03x@2.


CONCLUSIONS
The quantitative CVM method is an efficient, objective, and relatively simple approach to assess the level of skeletal maturation during adolescence.
Chen
Li-Li
LL
Department of Stomatology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Xu
Tian-Min
TM
Jiang
Jiu-Hui
JH
Zhang
Xing-Zhong
XZ
Lin
Jiu-Xiang
JX
D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton / Q000145:classification / Q000379:methods; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001846:Bone Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000254:growth & development*; D002648:Child; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D003818:Dentition, Mixed; D019229:Dentition, Permanent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous