THE PUBERTAL GROWTH SPURT AND SKELETAL MATURITY STAGES OF THE HAND-AND-WRIST IN NORMAL OCCLUSION

정상교합자의 사춘기성장과 수완부골 성숙단계에 관한 연구

To investigate the relationship between the pubertal spurt in body height and bone maturity of the hand-and-wrist in normal occlusion, the author X-rayed the hand-and-wrists of 1,141 students (male 614, female 527) and assessed their bone maturity. In this study, eleven skeletal stages were selected. The bones used to determine skeletal maturity were the ulnar sesamoid of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the first finger, the epiphyses of the proximal, middle, distal phalanges of the third finger, and middle phalanx of the fifth finger, and distal epiphysis of the radius. From the longitudinal data for height, an assessment was made of the change in growth velocity. The pubertal growth stage was divided into onset and peak height velocity phases. The results were as follows; 1. The onset of the pubertal growth was between the $PP_3=\;and\;MP_3=$ stage for boys, and between the $MP_3=\;and\;MP_5=$ stage for girls; the mean age of onset was 10.6 years for boys and 9.0 years for girls. 2. The peak height velocity was between the S and $MP_{3_{cap}}$ stage for boys, and between the $MP_{3_{cap}}$ and $MP_{5_{cap}}$ stage for girls; the mom age of peak height velocity was 12.5 years for boys and 10.9 years for girls. 3. As the stages of bone maturity progressed from $DP_{3u},\;to\;PP_{3u},\;MP_{3u}$, Ru, the peak height velocity had been reached, and the growth rate retarded, therefore the approach to full physical maturity was attained. 4. The evidence for the period of onset, peak height velocity and bone maturation suggested that girls were in advance of boys. During the latter part of pubertal growth, the rate of boys' bone maturation was faster than that of girls'.