An investigation of cervicovertebral morphology in different sagittal skeletal growth patterns

The purpose of the present study was to examine and compare cervicovertebral morphology in subjects with different sagittal skeletal patterns. The material comprised lateral head films of 90 untreated subjects, 45 girls and 45 boys, aged 13-15 years. The radiographs were obtained in the natural head position using a fluid level method. The subjects were divided into three groups according to ANB angle: ANB angle between 1 and 5 degrees (skeletal Class 1), larger than 5 degrees (skeletal Class II), and smaller than 1 degree (skeletal Class III). Each ANB group consisted of 30 subjects, 15 girls and 15 boys. Twenty-nine linear and four area measurements were used to assess cervicovertebral morphology. Differences between the ANB groups and between genders were assessed by means of analysis of variance and the least significant difference test. In addition, cephalometric measurements for all subjects were subjected to discriminant analysis.