Evaluation of the Correlation of Different Methods in Determining Skeletal Maturation Utilizing Cervical Vertebrae in Lateral Cephalogram

Introduction: It is necessary to evaluate skeletal maturation in functional orthodontic treatments. The most common method for determining skeletal maturation is made upon assessing hand-wrist radiographs. Recently, different methods use cervical vertebrae on lateral cephalogram to determine skeletal maturation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between different methods of assessing skeletal maturation using cervical vertebrae and to compare them with hand-wrist radiograph. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, hand-wrist radiographs and lateral cephalograms in NHP were obtained from for 47 patients aged from 10 to 15 whom were admitted to the department of orthodontics of Mashhad dental school. On hand-wrist radiographs, skeletal maturation was assessed by means of TW3 method. Cervical vertebrae maturation was evaluated on lateral cephalogram using the methods described by Lamparski, Mito, Roman and Hassel & Farman. Correlation coefficient was determined between skeletal maturation values based on cervical vertebrae and hand-wrist radiographs by Pearson and Spearman analysis. Results: Correlation coefficient between cervical vertebral age (using Lamparski, s method) and skeletal age(using TW3 method) was 0.81. For Mito, s, Roman, s and Hassel & Farman, s methods the correlation coefficient was 0.80, 0.997 and 0.995 respectively. No significant correlation was revealed between cervical vertebral bone age (using Mito, s & Lamparski, s methods) in 10-13 year old boys and that of hand-wrist base (P>0.05). Conclusion: In all groups using, Roman, s and Hassel & Farman, s methods had a high correlation between cervical vertebrae and hand-wrist skeletal maturation. So, these two methods can be used as relable alternatives for hand-wrist radiograph in skeletal maturation evaluation. Key words: Skeletal maturation, hand-wrist radiograph, lateral cepharogram, cervical vertebrae.