Correlation between dental maturity and cervical vertebral maturity

• Published in: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology and endodontics oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology and endodontics, 2010-12, Vol.110 (6), p.777-783
• Main Authors: Chen, Jianwei, DDS, Hu, Haikun, DDS, Guo, Jing, DDS, Liu, Zeping, DDS, Liu, Renkai, DDS, Li, Fan, DDS, Zou, Shujuan, DDS, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age Determination by Skeleton; Age Determination by Teeth; Bicuspid - growth & development; Biological and medical sciences; Cephalometry; Cervical Vertebrae - growth & development; Child; China; Cohort Studies; Cuspid - growth & development; Dental Pulp Cavity - growth & development; Dentistry; Female; Humans; Male; Mandible; Medical sciences; Molar - growth & development; Odontogenesis - physiology; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Radiography, Dental, Digital; Radiography, Panoramic; Sex Factors; Surgery; Tooth Apex - growth & development; Tooth Calcification - physiology; Tooth Crown - growth & development; Tooth Root - growth & development
• ISSN: 1079-2104; 1528-395X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tripleo.2010.08.006

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the association between dental and skeletal maturity. Study design 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.