Date of Award

Spring 2002

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Dentistry

First Advisor

Bradley, Thomas

Second Advisor

Kittleson, Russell

Third Advisor

Stier, Erwin

Fourth Advisor

Iacopino, Anthony

Abstract

A longitudinal growth study was conducted on fifty orthodontically untreated subjects (26 females, 24 males) with an emphasis on vertical dimensional parameters of facial growth. To standardize the sample, a clinically-accepted method of skeletal aging (hand-wrist radiographic analysis employing the SMA of Fishman) was performed at each observation, and then a lateral cephalometric radiograph taken the same day was traced and measured. Subjects were divided into early, average, and late maturing individuals based on when they entered the peak of the adolescent growth spurt relative to their peers. A previous hypothesis that late maturers exhibit more absolute growth than their early or average peers (manifested as a percentage of full size attained for each parameter) was not statistically proven, but trends between groups were seen. Statistical analysis showed that the sample used was comparable to accepted growth norms, and that a sample size of twenty-five subjects per group is necessary to determine statistical significance. Overall facial growth, as well as vertical growth, was shown to continue into the skeletal age that is accepted to represent the end of the adolescent growth spurt.

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