Korean J Orthod.  1985 Sep;15(2):197-210.

The pubertal growth spurt and skeletal maturity stages of the hand-and-wrist in normal occlusion

• Park JS
• Suhr CH

Abstract

To investigate the relationship between the pubertal spurt in body height and bone maturity of the hand-and-wrist in normal occlusion, the author X-rayed the hand-and-wrists of 1, 141 students (male 614, female 527) and assessed their bone maturity. In this study, eleven skeletal stages were selected, The bones used to determine skeletal maturity were the ulnar sesamoid of the metacapophalangeal joint of the first finger, the epiphyses of the proximal, middle, distal phalanges of the third finger, and middle phalanx of the fifth finger, and distal epiphysis of the radius. From the longitudinal data for height, an assessment was made of the change in growth velocity. The pubertal growth stage was divided into onset and peak height velocity phases. The results were as follows; 1. The onset of the pubertal growth was between the pp3=and MP3=stage for boys, and between the MP3=and MP5= stage for girls; the mean age of onset was 10.6 years for boys and 9.0 years for girls. 2. The peak height velocity was between the S and MP3cap stage for boys, and between the MP3cap and MPMP5cap stage for girls; the mean age of peak height velocity was 12.5 years for boys and 10.9 years for girls. 3. As the stages of bone meturity progressed from DP3u, to PP3u, MP3u, Ru, the peak height velocity had been reached, and the growth rate retarded, therefore the approach to full physical maturity was attained. 4. The evidence for the period of onset, peak height velocity and bone maturation sugggested that girls were in advance of boys. During the latte part of pubertal growth, the rate of boys' bone maturation was faster than that of grils'.

MeSH Terms

Age of Onset
Body Height
Epiphyses
Female
Fingers
Humans
Joints
Radius