Mandibular rotation and angular remodeling during childhood and adolescence

Using the structural method of superimposition, childhood and adolescent rates of mandibular rotation and remodeling are described. The results pertain to a longitudinal sample of French-Canadian children, including 42 females with records at 6, 10, and 14 years of age and 39 males with records at 7, 11, and 15 years of age. There are no sex differences in rates of mandibular rotation and remodeling. Childhood rates of true rotation and angular remodeling are significantly greater than adolescent rates. Children whose first permanent molars had not erupted at the time of the first observation showed significantly greater rates of angular remodeling than children whose molars had already erupted. Over the eight year period, there were approximately 4.8 degrees of forward true rotation, between 5.2 and 6.4 degrees forward angular remodeling, and less than 1 degree of backward apparent rotation. During adolescence and the primary dentition stage, associations are strongest between true and apparent rotation. During the mixed dentition stage, true rotation is most closely correlated with angular remodeling. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.