Evaluation of the skeletal maturity using the cervical vertebrae and hand-wrist rakiographs

Kim, Kyung Ho; Sung, Sang Jin; Park, So Youn

Abstract

In clinical orthodontics, it is significant to understand the stage of growth in a growing patient. In order to assess the skeletal maturity of the patients, the hand-wrist radiograph and the cervical vertebrae (Cervical Vertebrae Maturation Indicators: CVNII) was evaluated from the lateral cephalograph and the skeletal maturity determined from the hand-wrist X-ray, (Skeletal Maurity Indicators: SMI) taken on the same day in the same patients, and its interrelationship examined to come up with the following results: 1. The skeletal maturity evaluated from the hand-wrist radiograph and the maturation of the cervical vertebrae from the lateral cephalograph showed a significant interrelationship with each other. 2. In the evaluation of the skeletal maturity using the SNIT and CVMI, the CVMI 1 showed a siginificant correlation with SMI 1, 2, the CVMI 2 with SNIT 3, 4, CVMI 3 with SMI 6, 7, CVMI 4 with SMI 7, 8, CVMI 5 with 9, 10 and CVNII 6 with SMI 11. 3. When the morphological changes in the 2nd and 3rd cervical vertebrae were separately observed, it was seldom that the concavity appeared in the lower border of the 2nd cervical vertebra and at the same time not appear in the 3rd cervical vertebra (CVMI 2 : 10.38 %, CVMI 3 : 6.56 %) 4. In each of the skeletal maturation stage evaluated from the hand-wrist and the cervical vertebrae, the average age and its standard deviation in male and female patients appeared to have large differences among individuals. Skeletal maturation seemed to appear earlier for the girls than for the boys, and its termination 24 months faster for girls.