Correlation Between Midpalatal Suture and Cervical Maturation with Chronological Age
DOI :
Felipe Figueroa-Larenas; Dylan Mariño-Recabarren; Patricio Meléndez-Rojas; Sven Niklander-Ebensperger; Wilfredo Cotton-Torres; Marisol Clavería-Cádiz & Macarena Rodríguez-Luengo
Summary
Dentomaxillary malocclusions significantly impact patients' aesthetics and function, with transverse malocclusions being the most common. Through orthopedic treatments, it is possible to expand the maxilla when the midpalatal suture (MPS) remains unfused. Age and cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) are important indicators of skeletal maturity to evaluate the feasibility of maxillary orthopedic expansion. However, there are discrepancies in this regard, making it essential to study the relationship between CVM, MPS, and age. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 106 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of patients aged 5 to 25 years were analyzed. The Angelieri classification was used to assess the MPS stage, while the Baccetti classification was applied to measure CVM. The Spearman test was used to assess the correlation between CVM and MPS, and the ANOVA test was performed for each stage. A significance level of p < 0.05 was considered. The maturation stages of MPS and CVM, when analyzed separately in relation to chronological age, showed statistically significant relationships (p = 0.04 and p = 0.00, respectively). However, the combined analysis of MPS, CVM, and chronological age did not demonstrate statistical significance (p = 0.99). Regarding the Spearman correlation coefficient, a direct correlation was observed between CVM and MPS (p < 0.001), indicating a moderate positive association. There is a moderate positive correlation between the maturation stages of CVM and MPS; however, chronological age does not show a direct relationship with these indicators. Regarding sex, a stronger positive correlation was found in males within a non-homogeneous sample. Although parameters such as age and sex play a role in MPS maturation, they are unreliable for determining suture fusion. Individual assessment of the MPS is essential before selecting the optimal protocol for maxillary expansion.
FIGUEROA-LARENAS, F.; MARIÑO-RECABARREN, D.; MELÉNDEZ-ROJAS, P.; NIKLANDER-EBENSPERGER, S.; COTTON-TORRES, W.; CLAVERÍA-CÁDIZ, M. & RODRÍGUEZ-LUENGO, M. Correlation between midpalatal suture and cervical maturation with chronological age. Int. J. Morphol., 43(3):788-795, 2025.
