Clinical and Investigative Orthodontics · Published 2026-07-19 · DOI 10.1080/27705781.2026.2704377
Deepika Katyal, Ravindra Kumar Jain
Background and Aim Estimation of skeletal maturity is essential for orthodontic treatment planning and time of intervention. Spheno Occipital Synchondrosis (SOS) plays an important role in cranial base growth and during adolescence it plays a cardinal role in the ontogeny of the human skull. The study was aimed at correlating the fusion stages of SOS with the Middle Phalanx of the Third Finger (MP3), Cervical Vertebral Maturation staging (CVMI) and chronological age in the Dravidian population.Materials and Methods Records of 80 subjects (males 34, females 46) in the age range of 10–16 years were examined. These consisted of Full Skull CBCT and Radiovisiography (RVG) images of the MP3 of either hand, taken not more than a month apart as a part of orthodontic diagnostic records. SOS and CVMI were scored from CBCTs and MP3 staging from RVG images. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software, Spearman’s correlation test was done.Results The correlation of MP3 and SOS staging was strong (r = 0.88). Similarly, a moderate correlation was observed between SOS staging and chronological age (r = 0.59 overall, r = 0.57 for females and r = 0.54 for males). Also, correlation of CVMI with SOS was high (r = 0.78) (p < 0.01).Conclusion Skeletal maturity in the Dravidian population can be assessed using SOS fusion staging as it correlates well with both MP3 and CVMI staging.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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Katyal, D., Jain, R. (2026). Correlation of spheno-occipital synchondrosis staging with middle phalanx of third finger staging, cervical vertebral maturation staging and chronological age for skeletal maturity assessment in Dravidian population - a retrospective CBCT study. Clinical and Investigative Orthodontics. https://doi.org/10.1080/27705781.2026.2704377