Duration of the pubertal peak in skeletal Class I and Class III subjects.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate and compare the duration of the pubertal growth peak in Class I and Class III subjects.


METHODS
The data examined consisted of pretreatment lateral cephalometric records of 218 skeletal Class I or Class III subjects (93 female and 125 male subjects) of white ancestry. The duration of the pubertal peak was calculated from the average chronological age intervals between stages CS3 and CS4 of the cervical vertebral maturation in Class I vs Class III groups (t-test).


RESULTS
In skeletal Class I subjects, the pubertal peak had a mean duration of 11 months, whereas in Class III subjects it lasted 16 months. The average difference (5 months) was statistically significant (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
The growth interval corresponding to the pubertal growth spurt (CS3-CS4) was longer in Class III subjects than in subjects with normal skeletal relationships; the larger increases in mandibular length during the pubertal peak reported in the literature for Class III subjects may be related to the longer duration of the pubertal peak.
Silesian University, Katowice, Poland.
Małgorzata
M
Kuc-Michalska
Tiziano
T
Baccetti
D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D001846:Bone Development / Q000502:physiology; D002508:Cephalometry; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000254:growth & development; D002648:Child; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008311:Malocclusion, Angle Class I / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008334:Mandible / Q000254:growth & development; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors