title: Biological predictors of mandibular asymmetries in children with mixed dentition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to investigate the severity of skeletal mandibular asymmetry in children with mixed dentition and other factors associated with asymmetry.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was cross sectional, with stratified sampling according to malocclusion type consisting of 205 subjects with mixed dentition (median 10, interquartile range 9-11 years). There were 59 subjects presenting Class II/1, 77 Class II/2, and 69 Class III. The mandibular asymmetry has been estimated from orthopantomograms using the Habets' method and the dental maturation by Demirjian's method. The sagittal skeletal relationship and facial growth pattern were assessed from lateral cephalograms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Asymmetries in general, were not rare and were more present in the condylar height rather than in the height of the ramus. The highest severity of condylar asymmetry was in Class II/2 subjects (median of asymmetry index 7.3; 64% subjects exhibiting moderate and severe asymmetry), while the Class III subjects exhibited the highest severity of both ramus and total height asymmetry (2.1; 13% and 2.0; 15%, respectively). Multiple logistic regression unveiled male gender as the only predictor of moderate or significant overall asymmetry. Dental age, the difference between dental and chronological age, and facial growth pattern were not significant predictors of asymmetries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, asymmetries in mixed dentition cannot be considered rare; however, no strong relationships between asymmetry and observed biological factors were found.
authors.affiliation: a School of Medicine , University of Rijeka , Rijeka , Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sop
authors.affiliation: b Private Dental Practice Mady-Maricic , Rijeka , Croatia.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mady Maricic
authors.affiliation: c Department of Orthodontics and Department of Paediatric Dentistry , School of Medicine, University of Rijeka , Rijeka , Croatia.
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pavlic
authors.affiliation: d Private Dental Practice Legovic , Porec , Croatia.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Legovic
authors.affiliation: e Department of Orthodontics , School of Medicine, University of Rijeka , Rijeka , Croatia.
authors.forename: Stjepan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spalj
mesh_terms: D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003818:Dentition, Mixed; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005146:Facial Asymmetry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008336:Mandibular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic
keywords: Angle class; Asymmetry index; Condylar asymmetry; Mandibular asymmetry; Panoramic radiography