Maxillary and Mandibular Dentoalveolar Heights of French-Canadians 10 to 15 Years of Age

Abstract

To establish reference data for anterior and posterior dentoalveolar heights of growing French-Canadians with untreated normal occlusions and malocclusions. The mixed longitudinal sample includes 227 French-Canadians, 119 male and 108 female, with cephalograms taken annually between 10-15 years of age. Maxillary and mandibular dentoalveolar heights were measured as the perpendicular distances of the incisor tips and first molar mesial cusp tips to the palatal (ANS-PNS) and mandibular (Go-Me) planes. Male dentoalveolar heights were significantly (P < .05) greater than female heights at all ages. Dentoalveolar heights at 15 years of age were significantly larger (P < .05) than at 10 years of age, with differences ranging from 2.1-4.2 mm in male subjects and from 2.1-3.8 mm in female subjects. The greatest difference in dentoalveolar heights between the 10- and 15-year-old age groups was for the maxillary first molar; the maxillary central incisor height showed the smallest age effects. The coefficients of variation were greater for the maxillary than the mandibular dentoalveolar heights. Correlations of dentoalveolar heights within jaws ranged from 0.53 to 0.82; correlations between jaws ranged from 0.30 to 0.44. The mandibular heights showed the strongest associations. French-Canadian adolescents require age- and sex-specific reference data for dentoalveolar heights.