DATA AND PATTERNS OF TRANSVERSE DENTOFACIAL STRUCTURE OF 6-YEAR-OLD TO 15-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN - A POSTEROANTERIOR CEPHALOMETRIC STUDY

The aims of the present cross-sectional investigation were to provide normative data of selected dentofacial posteroanterior cephalometric measures and to describe the patterns of transverse dentofacial structure. The material comprised the P-A cephalograms of 588 Austrian schoolchildren (157 girls and 431 boys, who were 6 to 15 years old). All subjects were healthy, presented various types of occlusions, and did not receive orthodontic or orthopedic therapy. In studying the P-A cephalograms, 8 linear and 2 angular variables, as well as 10 ratios were used. The results of the study revealed that all skeletal widths and all ratios representing relations between the various breadths of the facial skeleton and the interorbital width demonstrated an increase when the measurements at the initial and final ages of 6 and 15 year, respectively, were compared. However, the maxillary intermolar width during the period from 9 to 12 years did not present any increase, and the mandibular intermolar width remained approximately the same during the whole observation period. The transverse dentoalveolar relationship in the incisal region remained very symmetric during aging. The standard deviations of most cephalometric variables were small when they were compared with their corresponding mean values. The present data are of value for the diagnosis of various types of dentofacial anomalies, for monitoring growth of persons or groups of corresponding age and race, and for comparison with other studies.