Skeletal maturation and craniofacial growth.

The purpose of this study was to assess the relevance of hand-wrist radiographs to craniofacial growth and clinical orthodontics. Serial annual cephalometric and hand-wrist radiographs and standing height measurements were obtained from a sample of 47 girls (ages 10 through 15 years) and 39 boys (ages 11 through 16 years) from the Bolton-Brush data base. Four skeletal linear measurements showing statistically significant increases were analyzed: SN, GoGn, SGo, and NMe. The hand-wrist radiographs were scored by the Tanner-Whitehouse TW2 RUS method of skeletal maturity assessment. The results of the study indicated that statural height and hand-wrist skeletal maturation in both sexes are significantly related. The children demonstrated a large variety of growth patterns, and growth spurts could not be consistently observed on an individual basis. Because of low statistical correlations, the relationship between acceleration and deceleration in growth of the specific craniofacial dimensions and statural height or skeletal maturity was not deemed clinically significant for prediction. However, it may be used as a factor for consideration in diagnosis and treatment planning of an individual case.