Phases of the dentition for the assessment of skeletal maturity: A diagnostic performance study

Introduction: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the circumpubertal phases of the dentition (early mixed, intermediate mixed, late mixed, early permanent) and skeletal maturity as assessed by means of the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method. Methods: The sample of 1000 subjects included 250 (125 boys, 125 girls) in each of the 4 dentition phases. Individual skeletal maturity was determined by using the CVM method. The relationship between the skeletal maturity (stages in CVM) and the phases of the dentition was evaluated statistically by means of indicators of diagnostic test performance. Results: Prepubertal stage 1 (CS1) was the variable diagnosed in the early mixed and intermediate mixed dentitions; pubertal stage 3 (CS3) was the variable diagnosed in the late mixed and early permanent dentitions. Conclusions: The early mixed dentition phase showed a strong diagnostic value for the identification of prepubertal skeletal maturity (CS1), whereas the intermediate mixed dentition phase had a low diagnostic value for the same prepubertal stage. Neither the late mixed dentition nor the early permanent dentition appeared to be a valid indicator for the onset of the pubertal growth spurt.