Journal of Dental Medicine

Statement of Problem: Considerable response to functional orthopedic appliances treatment in class II skeletal patients occurs during pubertal growth spurt. Therefore, it seems necessary to investigate indices indicating mandibular growth pattern. It has been proved that analyzing cervical vertebral maturation stage is a more valid index than that of hand wrist.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the time status of functional orthopedic treatment in class II skeletal patients using CVMS index.

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-inferential study, lateral cephalometric radiographs of 153 class II skeletal patients with mandibular deficiency, before treatment, were studied by an oral and maxillofacial radiologist using the index of cervical vertebral maturation stage (CVMS) and were categorized in three phases: CVMS I (desirable phase of treatment), CVMS II (ideal phase), and CVMS III (undesirable phase of treatment).

Results: Statistical analysis ranked the prevalence of treatment phases as: 41.8% in desirable phase (CVMS I), 28.1% in ideal phase (CVMA II) and 30% in undesirable phase (CVMS III). No significant differences were found between the three phases using Chi-square analysis. Time status of functional orthopedic treatment was also evaluated based on age and sex. The results showed significant differences between two sexes (P=0.032).

Conclusion: The present study suggests the analysis of CVMS index, along with clinical criteria, in the determination of an ideal time for functional orthopedic treatment to prevent patients’ exhaustion during treatment Period.