Childhood and adolescent changes of skeletal relationships.

This paper describes the development of anteroposterior (AP) and vertical (VER) skeletal relationships. A mixed-longitudinal sample of 49 females and 50 males was followed during childhood and adolescence. Childhood growth changes were assessed from 6 to 10 years for females and 8 to 12 years for males. Adolescent changes were evaluated from 9 to 13 years for females and 11 to 15 years for males. Anteroposterior relationships were described by the horizontal distance between ANS and Pg. Vertical relationships were described by the vertical distance between Pg and Go. Subsamples were defined based on overall changes (AP and VER) that were either greater than or less than average. The results showed that AP and VER relationships were not stable during growth. AP relationships changed over time due to differential growth movements of the mandible (as opposed to the maxilla). There was greater potential for horizontal discrepancies to decrease during childhood than during adolescence. The potential for AP discrepancies to increase was greater during adolescence. The VER relationships increased in the majority of subjects. The subsample whose vertical discrepancies increased most showed less inferior movement of gonion and more inferior movement of pogonion. Inferior movements of Pg and Go were greater during adolescence than childhood.