title: Maxillary growth and maturation during infancy and early childhood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe maxillary growth and maturation during infancy and early childhood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serial cephalograms (N=210) of 30 subjects (15 females and 15 males) from the Bolton-Brush Growth Study were analyzed. Each subject had a series of six consecutive cephalograms taken between birth and 5 years of age, as well as one adult cephalogram. Twelve maxillary measurements (eight linear and four angular) and seven landmarks were used to characterize maxillary growth. Maturation of the linear measures was described as a percentage of adult status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maxillary and anterior cranial base size increased in both sexes between 0.4 and 5 years of age. The linear anteroposterior (AP) measures (S-SE, SE-N, ANS-PNS) increased almost as much as the vertical measures (S-PNS, SE-PNS, N-A, N-ANS) over the first 5 years. After 5 years of age there was significantly more vertical than AP growth. The size and shape changes that occurred were greatest between 0.4 and 1 years; yearly velocities decelerated regularly thereafter. Overall linear growth changes that occurred between 0.5 and 5 years of age (a span of 4.5 years) were generally greater than the changes in maxillary growth that occurred between 5 and 16 years (a span of 11 years). The linear measures showed a gradient of maturation, with the AP measures being more mature than the vertical measures. Male maxillae were less mature than female maxillae at every age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The maxilla undergoes its greatest postnatal growth change during infancy and early childhood, when relative AP growth and maturation are emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Utumporn
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Laowansiri
authors.forename: Rolf G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Behrents
authors.forename: Eustaquio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.forename: Donald R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Buschang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000254:growth & development; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005624:Frontal Bone / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008311:Malocclusion, Angle Class I / Q000503:physiopathology; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000503:physiopathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000254:growth & development*; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000254:growth & development; D010159:Palate / Q000254:growth & development; D012658:Sella Turcica / Q000254:growth & development; D012737:Sex Factors; D019291:Skull Base / Q000254:growth & development; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000254:growth & development; D014716:Vertical Dimension