Evaluation of skeletal maturity in the cervical vertebrae and hand-wrist in relation to vertical facial types

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate differences in skeletal maturity in relation to vertical facial types and to compare differences in the skeletal maturity of the cervical vertebrae and hand-wrist in females. METHODS: This study included 59 females aged 7 to 9 years with skeletal Class I malocclusion. The participants were categorized into three groups (low, normal, and high) according to the mandibular plane angle. Skeletal maturity was measured using skeletal maturity indicators (SMIs) and the Tanner–Whitehouse III (TW3) method on hand-wrist radiographs and by using cervical vertebrae maturation indicators (CVMIs) on lateral cephalometric radiographs. RESULTS: The SMI was higher in the high-angle group than in the low-angle group (p = 0.014). The median TW3 bone age was 11.4 months higher in the high-angle group than in the low-angle group (p = 0.032). There was no significant difference in CVMI among the three groups. Skeletal maturity showed a weakly positive correlation with the mandibular plane angle (SMI, r = 0.391; TW3, r = 0.333; CVMI, r = 0.259). CONCLUSIONS: The skeletal maturity of the hand-wrist in females with a high mandibular plane angle was higher than that in females with a low mandibular plane angle. Obtaining additional hand-wrist radiographs may facilitate evaluation of skeletal maturity of females. In females with a high mandibular angle, the time to commence orthodontic treatment may be earlier than that in females with a low mandibular angle.