Correlation between dental maturity and cervical vertebral maturity.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between dental and skeletal maturity.


METHODS
Digital panoramic radiographs and lateral skull cephalograms of 302 patients (134 boys and 168 girls, ranging from 8 to 16 years of age) were examined. Dental maturity was assessed by calcification stages of the mandibular canines, first and second premolars, and second molars, whereas skeletal maturity was estimated by the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) stages. The Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient was used to measure the association between CVM stage and dental calcification stage of individual teeth.


RESULTS
The mean chronologic age of girls was significantly lower than that of boys in each CVM stage. The Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients between dental maturity and cervical vertebral maturity ranged from 0.391 to 0.582 for girls and from 0.464 to 0.496 for boys (P < 0.05). In girls, the mandibular second molar had the highest and the canine the lowest correlation. In boys, the canine had the highest and the first premolar the lowest correlation.


CONCLUSIONS
Tooth calcification stage was significantly correlated with cervical vertebral maturation stage. The development of the mandibular second molar in females and that of the mandibular canine in males had the strongest correlations with cervical vertebral maturity. Therefore, it is practical to consider the relationship between dental and skeletal maturity when planning orthodontic treatment.
State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Department of Orthodontics, West China College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Jianwei
J
Chen
Haikun
H
Hu
Jing
J
Guo
Zeping
Z
Liu
Renkai
R
Liu
Fan
F
Li
Shujuan
S
Zou
D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D000366:Age Determination by Teeth; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000254:growth & development; D002508:Cephalometry; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000254:growth & development; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003481:Cuspid / Q000254:growth & development; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible; D008963:Molar / Q000254:growth & development; D009805:Odontogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012737:Sex Factors; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000254:growth & development; D014074:Tooth Calcification / Q000502:physiology; D019228:Tooth Crown / Q000254:growth & development; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000254:growth & development