title: Morphological integration of mandible and cranium: orthodontic implications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed at clarifying the morphological interactions among the cranial base, face, and mandible, to improve the assessment and treatment of skeletal malocclusions involving the mandible.
  
  
  METHODS
  Untreated adult subjects (n=187) were grouped according to standard cephalometric criteria of vertical and sagittal relationships. Geometric morphometrics were used to test the null hypothesis that integration patterns between the mandible and its associated basicranial and upper midfacial counterparts would be similar among various vertical and sagittal facial patterns.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The null hypothesis was rejected for vertical groups, because the dolicho- and brachyfacial subjects showed significantly different integration patterns, but was accepted for sagittal groups, which showed identical covariation patterns. The morphological integration between the cranium-face and mandible were similarly high in the three skeletal classes, which explained the similarly large covariance between the two structures (57.80% in Class II to 60% in Class III).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dolicho- and brachi-facial subjects showed specific and different cranium-face and associated mandible configurations. The cranium-face configuration may have an important influence (∼60%) on the generation of sagittal (anteroposterior) skeletal malocclusions. The remaining morphological component of the skeletal malocclusion (∼40%) would be independent of this particular integration (PLS1) between the cranium-face and mandible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Section of Orthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. Electronic address: jalarcon@ugr.es.
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Alarcón
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bastir
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: García-Espona
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Menéndez-Núñez
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
keywords: Covariation; Facial pattern; Generalized linear model; Geometric morphometrics; Skeletal Class II, III-malocclusion