Longitudinal growth changes in the sagittal relationship of maxilla and mandible.

This is a longitudinal study of the growth pattern in sagittal linear measurements at points A, B, and pogonion relative to the pterygoid vertical plane in a Class I sample. Serial cephalometric radiographs were traced and digitized at ages 6, 12, 18, and 24 years. The results indicated that between the ages of 6 and 24 years there was a total growth increment of 6.07, 7.53, and 11.17 mm at points A, B, and pogonion, respectively, in the female Class I sample and 9.49, 11.65, and 16.21 mm at points A, B, and pogonion, respectively, in the male sample. Although the actual change in length of these measurements was larger in the male subjects than in the female subjects, in terms of percentage of growth increment in each of these three measurements from age 6 to 24 years, the anterior movement at point B relative to point A, and at pogonion relative to points B and A was approximately the same for both male and female subjects. When each of the subjects in both male and female samples was rank-ordered according to the size at age 6 years, considerable individual variation was noticeable for most persons within the group. The individual variation in growth pattern in each of the different measurements continues to raise questions about growth prediction and its application in visual treatment objectives.