Correlation between cervical vertebrae morphology and chronological age in Saudi adolescents

Cervical vertebrae morphology has been used as a biological indicator for assessing skeletal maturation in orthodontic patients, while chronologic age is considered a poor indicator of adolescent development. The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between the chronologic age and maturation of cervical vertebra. The study sample was 214 patients (104 males and 110 females) in the age range of 7–17 years (mean age 12.31 ± 2.9). The Baccetti modified version of CVS (Stage I–VI) was used in the study. The cervical vertebral stages depend on morphological evaluation of three cervical vertebrae (C2, C3, and C4). The spearman rank correlation between chronologic age and cervical vertebral maturation stages was 0.864 (P < 0.001). CVS method is more predictable than chronological age alone in the establishment of appropriate timing and types of orthodontic treatment.