Correlations of Spheno-Occipital Synchondrosis, Cervical Vertebrae, Midpalatal Suture, and Third Molars

Correlations of Spheno-Occipital Synchondrosis, Cervical Vertebrae, Midpalatal Suture, and Third Molars Booth EB1, Viana G1, Elnagar M1, Miller S2 Atsawasuwan P1 1Department of Orthodontics, UIC College of Dentistry 2Department of Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, UIC College of Dentistry Objective: This study aims to estimate the joint correlations among cervical vertebrae maturation (CVM), spheno-occipital synchrondrosis (SOS), midpalatal suture maturation (MPS), and third molar mineralization (TMM) and to assess the predictive potential of SOS on MPS. This study also explores the relationship and correlations between facial growth pattern (FMA and ANB) and CVM, SOS, and MPS. Methods: 570 CBCT scans from an Illinois private practice orthodontic office were analyzed and MPS, CVM, SOS, and TMM stage were recorded by two independent investigators. FMA and ANB were analyzed in a subset of 114 growing subjects. Intra and inter-rater reliability tests were evaluated with weighted Cohen’s Kappa Tests. Non-parametric Spearman correlation coefficients for ordinal data were used to estimate the pairwise correlations among SOS, CVM, MPS and TMM. To evaluate if SOS can predict MPS, ordinal regression models were estimated. Results: Our results confirm prior research showing a strong positive correlation between SOS and CVM and SOS and MPS, and a moderate correlation between CVM and MPS and TMM and SOS. Weak correlations are reported for TMM with MPS and SOS. ANB and FMA were not significantly correlated with SOS, MPS, or CVM. Our results confirm prior findings that SOS can be used to predict CVM using ordinal regression, and we report a similar model for the first time that can be used to predict MPS from SOS fusion stage. Conclusions: SOS is strongly correlated with MPS, and SOS stage along with the patient’s age can be used to predict MPS using ordinal regression. This finding is helpful as a diagnostic tool when MPS stage is not clear (i.e. excessively thin or curved palate) or when more information on the skeletal maturity of the patient is desired. Facial growth pattern (FMA and ANB) is not significantly correlated with SOS, MPS, or CVM. IRB and/or ACC Protocol #: IRB Protocol #2022-1191