Morphometric analysis of cervical vertebrae morphology and correlation of cervical vertebrae morphometry, cervical spine inclination and cranial base angle to craniofacial morphology and stature in an adult skeletal class I and class II population.

OBJECTIVE: The study was carried out to compare the morphometry of the cervical column between adult Class I and Class II individuals and between gender and to analyze the correlation between the cervical column morphology, the cranial base angle, the craniocervical inclination with craniofacial morphology and stature of Angles Class I and Class II individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data for this institutional retrospective study were systematically selected according to the specified inclusion and exclusion criteria from the pretreatment cephalometric radiographs of 19 male and 30 female patients visiting the Department of Orthodontics, Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Manipal University, based on their ANB angle. The radiographs were traced and digitized. The reliability of the variables describing the cranial base and vertical and sagittal craniofacial dimensions was assessed. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that there was no statistically significant variation in the cervical vertebrae dimensions between Class I and Class II patients. There was found to be a definite sexual dimorphism, which was not statistically significant. Correlation exists between sagittal skeletal patterns, especially mandibular length and cervicovertebral morphology, but its use to classify the subjects in different sagittal classes is questionable.