The Study Of Age Estimation Using Standardized Measurement Of Cervical Vertebrae

The purpose of this paper was to establish standard procedures, which make the maturation indicators in cervical vertebrae suitable for quantitive analysis.122 closed-mouth lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken using the KODAK 8000C Digital Panoranic and Cephalometric System. Radiographs were then output by the KODAK Dental Imaging Software version 6.7.5.0 and the profiles of the 3rd and 4th cervical vertebrae were traced and marked. Anterior vertebral body height (AH), vertebral body height (H), posterior vertebral height (PH) and anteroposterior vertebral body length (AP) were measured and the following rates were calculated as the indictors: AH/AP, H/AP, PH/AP, AH /H, H/PH and AH/PH. The data were then analyzed by statistical software SPSS version 17.0 for multiple stepwise regression analysis.Two regression equations (r>0.9) were calculated and five indictors were found to have good correlations with the age, two of which were included in both equations.Since the cephalometric radiograph is routinely taken in the orthodontic pretreatment, the patient may avoid unnecessary exposure as the valuable information can be provided from the profiles of the cervical vertebrae.