GROWTH INDICATORS AND THEIR RELATION IN INDIVIDUALS WITH DIFFERENT SKELETAL MALOCCLUSIONS

Objectives: The purpose of our study is to assess the correlation between chronological age, cervical vertebral maturation index and Demirjian index of the lower second molars and analyze if the correlation affected by intermaxillary sagittal malocclusion. Material and methods: 150 subjects were evaluated, with age range from 6-19 years. Skeletal maturation stages according to Baccetti method were determined in lateral cephalometric radiographs. Demirjian index for lower second molars were evaluated in panoramic x-ray. Digital lateral cephalograms and panoramic radiographs were performed by Vatech and they were analyzed and saved in DICOM format using dedicated software (Easydent version 4.1). Statistical analysis with IBM SPSS version 26 for Windows, Chicago, Illinois to assess the correlation between cervical vertebral maturation index and Demirjian index for lower second molars and intergroup comparison. Results: There is a strong positive correlation between chronological age, cervical vertebral maturation index and Demirjian index for lower second molars, with p < 0.000, Pearson correlation coefficient was from r = .847 to r = .883. The duration of prepubertal stage for class II subject was significantly longer. Whereas the actual peak of pubertal growth in class II subject was short, 3, 5 months. The overall period of growth modification raging from stage 2-4 of cervical vertebral maturation index was significantly longer in class III subjects. Conclusions: There is a strong correlation bewteen cervical vertebral maturation index and Demirjian index for lower second molars. The correlation is not affected by intermaxillary sagittal relationship, however in class II patients we have a shorter pubertal peak period and in class III there is a longer period of pubertal peak.