Al-Rafidain Dental Journal

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the age differences
for open bite malocclusion concerning facial skeletal
and dentoalveolar height.
The study was carried out on a sample of 50 students (24
males and 26 females) aged 12–15 years with Class I occlusion
selected according to certain criteria among the students of
secondary schools in the center of Mosul City. The sample
was divided into two age groups: 12–13 years old, and 14–15
years old.
Lateral cephalometric radiograph was taken for each subject.
Twenty one cephalometric measurements (nine angular
and twelve linear) and five ratios had been determined. The
data were statistically analyzed using Statistical Package for
Social Sciences.
The results revealed that males showed significant increase
in total posterior facial height, upper posterior facial height
and ramus height with increasing age, while females showed
increase of upper anterior dental height and decrease the
ratio between upper posterior dental height and upper anterior
dental height with increasing age.
Concerning angles, females approved significant increase
of the angle formed by the intersection between occlusal
plane and palatal plane (OP–PP), while males showed a slight
decrease of the angle of palatal plane inclination in relation to
anterior cranial base (SN–PP angle) with increasing age.