Cervical Vertebral Maturation

Enter a numerical value from 1 to 6 to indicate one of six stages of cervical vertebral maturation.  A study concluded by Franchi, Baccetti, and McNamara suggests that cervical vertebral maturation can be a beneficial method of appraising mandibular skeletal maturity in individual patients.  The following list briefly describes each of the six stages.

Values range from a low value of 1 to a high value of 6.

 Stage 1
The inferior orders of the bodies of all cervical vertebrae are flat.  The superior borders are tapered from posterior to anterior.

Stage 2
A concavity develops in the inferior border of the second vertebra.  The anterior vertical height of the bodies increase.

Stage 3
A concavity develops in the inferior border of the third vertebra.

Stage 4
A concavity develops in the inferior border of the fourth vertebra.  Concavities in the lower borders of the fifth and sixth vertebrae are beginning to form.  The bodies of all cervical vertebrae are rectangular in shape.

Stage 5
Concavities are well defined in the lower borders of the bodies of all six cervical vertebrae.  The bodies are nearly square in shape and the spaces between the bodies are reduced.

Stage 6
All concavities have deepened.  The vertebral bodies are now higher than they are wide.

Examing patient growth progress, the following observations have been noted:

93.5% of individuals had peak mandibular growth spurts between stages 3 and 4. 

At stage 3, the age of girls ranged from 8.5 to 11. 

At stage 3, the age of boys ranged from 10 to 14. 

Class 2 growth tendency continued if the appliance was removed before peak growth. 

A significant amount of growth could still be achieved between stages 4 and 5.