Among the different ways to determine the degree of the skeletal maturation of the patient, the Lamparski method stands out modified by Hassel e Farman that proposed the identification of the maturation stage throught anatomic changes of the 2nd, 3rd and 4rth cervical vertebrae. Awere of the qualities conferred to the quoted method emerged the interest about evaluating its reprodutictibility with the aim of divulge and incorporate it as an element in diagnoses and as an auxiliary in the prognoses of the malocclusion treatment. The sample presented 100 teleradiographs in lateral norm of the patients examined for orthodontic treatment in School of Dentistry at Araçatuba - São Paulo state University in 2000 and 2001. Patients of both genders at the age of 6 through 16 years old and average age of 9 and 7 months in the sample. Three examiners properly trained did the evaluation of the teleradiographs rating them in phases from one to six. After analyzing the results, these ones were tabulated and subdwed to the KAPPA coefficient of agreement to evaluation inter and intra-examiner, concluding this way, the reproductibility of the above mentioned method. The method of the skeletal maturation by cervical vertebral was reproducible to determine the patient's stage in the curve of growth.
Skeletal age; Skeletal maturation indicators; Lateral cephalometric radiographs; Cervical vertebrae; Craniofacial growth
