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. 2010 Jan;80(1):97-105.
doi: 10.2319/020309-67.1.

Mandibular growth, remodeling, and maturation during infancy and early childhood

Yi-Ping Liu  1 , Rolf G Behrents, Peter H Buschang
Affiliations

Mandibular growth, remodeling, and maturation during infancy and early childhood

Yi-Ping Liu et al. Angle Orthod. 2010 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: To describe the growth, maturation, and remodeling changes of the mandible during infancy and early childhood.

Materials and methods: Seven Bolton-Brush Growth Study longitudinal cephalograms (N = 336) of each of 24 females and 24 males, taken between birth and 5 years of age, as well as early adulthood, were traced and digitized. Five measurements and nine landmarks were used to characterize mandibular growth, remodeling, and degree of adult maturity.

Results: Overall, mandibular length showed the greatest growth changes, followed by ramus height and corpus length. Corpus length was the most mature of the three linear measures; ramus height was less mature than overall mandibular length. The greatest growth rates occurred between 0.4-1 year; yearly velocities decelerated thereafter. The ramus remodeled superiorly only slightly more than it remodeled posteriorly. Male mandibles were significantly (P < or = .05) larger, displayed greater growth rates, and were significantly less mature than female mandibles. There were no significant differences in mandibular growth or maturation between Class I and Class II patients.

Conclusions: The mandible displays decelerating rates of growth and a maturity gradient during infancy and early childhood, with males showing more growth and being more mature than females.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cephalogram, cephalometric tracing, and landmarks digitized.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mandibular growth velocities of (A) males and (B) females.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mandibular remodeling between 0.4 and 5 years for (A) males and (B) females.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Relative mandibular maturity (percent adult size) of (A) males and (B) females.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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