Craniofacial morphology in 6-year-old Icelandic children

The purpose of the study was to describe the craniofacial characteristics of 6-year-old Icelandic children, make a normative standard for children with an Angle Class I molar relationship, and compare them to those with an Angle Class II molar relationship. The material consisted of the radiographs of 363 children, 184 (50.7 per cent) boys and 179 (49.3 per cent) girls with a mean age of 6 years 7 months (range: 5 years 7 months-7 years 8 months). Twenty-two reference points were digitized and processed by standard methods with the Dentofacial Planner computer software program. The 33 variables calculated included both angular and linear. Two sample t-tests were used to study the differences between different groups. Only minimal differences could be noted between sexes in sagittal and vertical angular measurements. Linear measurements, on the other hand, were usually larger for the boys. When compared with Norwegian material of the same age group, similar trends were observed between sexes in both studies, but the Icelandic children showed slightly more mandibular prognathism and a lower mandibular plane angle. When compared with children with an Angle Class I molar relationship, children with an Angle Class II molar relationship did not have a different maxillary prognathism nor a different mandibular length. Cranial base dimensions were all significantly greater and the cranial base flexure was also significantly more obtuse in the distal group.