Lateral cephalometric standards of Germans with normal occlusion from 6 to 17 years of age

The aim of this study was to analyze sagittal and vertical dentofacial dimensions in subjects with normal occlusions during the juvenile and adolescents age periods to establish age- and gender-specific lateral cephalometric standard values for Germans during their active growth period. The study group consisted of a sample of 32 untreated subjects with normal occlusions. Lateral cephalograms were analyzed at 11 consecutive stages, from 6-13 and from 15-17 years of age. A customized cephalometric analysis was used to measure 53 variables. Statistical comparisons of gender-specific differences were performed by means of Mann-Whitney U tests.Anterior and posterior cranial base lengths, midfacial length as well as mandibular length were recorded to be significantly larger in male subjects at the age of 6 years. For most of the linear measurements, significantly larger craniofacial distances were recorded in males from the age of 15 years onward. There were no statistically significant gender differences with regard to most angular measurements at subsequent age groups. Soft tissue analysis revealed flatter profiles in females than in males from the age of 10-11 years onward, while age-dependent changes in the soft tissue profile were similar in both genders.In untreated subjects with normal occlusion craniofacial development of the hard and soft tissues can be considered age- and gender-dependent. Therefore age- and gender-specific differences of linear craniofacial distances should be taken into account for diagnosis and treatment planning in children and adolescents. The present results can be used as reference values for children and adolescents of German origin.