Abstract

Abstract
Introduction: The objective of this study was to establish a relationship between skeletal maturity, as evaluated through cervical vertebral maturation, and the calcification stages of mandibular canines.
Materials and Methods: Carried out at the Orthodontics, Department of Saidu College of Dentistry in Swat, this correlational study employed a non-probability consecutive sampling technique involving 130 participants. Inclusion criteria encompassed high-quality pre-treatment panoramic and lateral cephalometric radiographs, of children age 8 to 16 displaying normal growth and development. Exclusion criteria considered conditions such as congenital anomalies, severe dental issues, and systemic medical conditions impacting maturation. Panoramic radiographs and the Gleiser and Hunt method were used to score mandibular canine calcification stages, while skeletal maturation was evaluated using lateral cephalograms and the CVM method proposed by Baccetti et al. Associations were explored using the Chi-square test and Spearman’s rank correlation, with a significance threshold of P < 0.01.
Results: The study comprised 130 participants (mean age 11.86 ± 1.76 years, 63 females and 67 males) with assessed canine calcification stages: MCC 1 (1.54%), MCC 2 (30.00%), MCC 3 (24.62%), MCC 4 (14.61%), MCC 5 (29.23%). A significant correlation existed between canine calcification stages and CVM stages (p < 0.001). Notably, a perfect correlation was found between cervical maturation stage and calcification stage (r = 0.96).
Conclusion: The calcification stages of mandibular canines offer a clinically valuable indicator for assessing skeletal maturity.
Keywords: Skeletal maturity assessment, Calcification stages, Mandibular canine, Cervical vertebral maturation (CVM), Cross-sectional study, Lateral cephalometric radiograph

Key words: Skeletal maturity assessment, Calcification stages, Mandibular canine, Cervical vertebral maturation (CVM), Cross-sectional study, Lateral cephalometric radiograph