Late lower arch crowding in relation to skeletal and dental morphology and growth changes

Skeletal and dental morphology, and related growth changes during a 3-year period following second permanent molar eruption, were compared in a group of 21 subjects who had no increase in lower arch crowding, with another group of 21 subjects whose lower arch crowding had increased by 1.0 mm or more during the same period. The crowding group showed a significantly greater increase in M3 space, forward movement of the second permanent molar and increase in the inter-incisal angle than the non-crowding group. None of the other parameters examined differed significantly.