Correlation between different methods of assessing bone maturation

Abstract

<p><strong>Introduction</strong>: the skeletal maturity of na individual can be evaluated through different methods and it is an important tool to the<br />diagnostic and treatment in othodontics. <strong>Objective</strong>: to verify the correlation between different methods of assessing bone maturation:<br />Carpal Maturation Index (CMI), Cervical Vertebrae Maturation Stages (CVM) and Dental Mineralization Stages (DM). <strong>Methodology</strong>:<br />the sample consisted of digitalized images of cephalometric, panoramic and hand and wrist radiographs of 73 patients. 50 were<br />selected for analysis. Two examiners were properly calibrated, through images analysis from another database. Inter and intraexaminer<br />reliability was measured by Kappa coefficient. The images were assessed according to Fishman (1982), Baccetti, Franchi and<br />McNamara Junior (2002) and Nolla (1960) methods. All images were coded and data of all analyzes was transferred to spreadsheets.<br />The data was processed in Matlab program for Windows, version 7.10.0, and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.<br /><strong>Results</strong>: the results demonstrated a positive correlation among bone maturity methods (CMI, CVM and DM), as well as between those<br />methods and chronological age. Females showed precocity in reaching the stages of skeletal maturation indicators and CVM compared<br />to males. It was observed that there was a correspondence between maturation methods for both genders. <strong>Conclusion</strong>: there was<br />a correlation between skeletal maturation assessment methods and dental mineralization in patients. Significant differences were<br />observed between genders for skeletal maturity assessment methods. There was a relation between the methods used for skeletal<br />maturation and dental mineralization, as well as chronological age.</p>