AIM: To determine the morphology of the third and fourth cervical vertebrae which represent the pre-peak, peak and post-peak stages of statural growth, previously defined by ossification centers of the thumb in hand-wrist or thumb periapical radiographs. METHODS: The sample was comprised of 120 lateral cephalometric radiographs of 106 patients from the Interceptive Orthodontics Clinic of the School of Dentistry of Araçatuba/UNESP and from PROFIS /Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies/USP. All patients had hand-wrist or corresponding thumb periapical radiographs available. The lateral radiographs were divided into three groups of 40 radiographs according to the pre-peak, peak and post-peak maturational stages, defined by the radiographic image of the thumb. The morphology of the third and fourth cervical vertebrae was determined by two calibrated examiners in two different times. CONCLUSIONS: The findings show that the horizontal, rectangular-shaped vertebra with straight lower border represented the pre-peak stage, regardless of the analyzed vertebra. The horizontal, rectangular-shaped vertebra with curved lower border, mainly if found in C4, or the square-shaped vertebra with straight lower border was typical of the growth peak. The square-shaped or, mainly, the rectangular-shaped vertebra with curved lower border determined the post-peak stage of adolescent growth spurt.
Age determination by skeleton; Orthodontics; Cervical vertebrae
