Factors of human skeletal craniofacial morphology

Thirty cephalometric measurements representing craniofacial depth, height, and width were obtained from lateral and posterior rediographs of 66 boys, 8 years of age. A multivariate factor analysis was performed on these measurements in an effort to locate specific areas of variability within the craniofacial complex. Twelve uncorrelated factors were extracted which account for 91% of the total variance and these were identified as: 1) retrognathic facial type, 2) anterior dentoalveolar height, 3) maxillary body length, 4) cranial base and facial width, 5) mandibular ramus height, 6) anterior maxillary body height, 7) mandibular length, 8) cranial vault height, 9) vertical position of the condyles, 10) cranial vault and clivus length, 11) bigonial width, and 12) cranial vault width.