CEPHALOMETRIC NORMS FOR GUJARATI CHILDREN - A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Introduction: Orthodontists have relied on cephalometric radiographs for orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning since the advent of cephalometric radiography. The variations in different ethnic groups within the same country creates a need for cephalometric norms for each of such ethnic groups. McNamara’s analysis is the most commonly used and most suitable for diagnosis and treatment planning. Aim: The study aims to formulate cephalometric norms for Gujarati boys and girls using McNamara’s analysis. Materials & Method: The sample of children for the study was selected from the government funded primary schools of Gujarat. The sample size consisted of 250 school going Gujarati children (125 boys and 125 girls) with age ranging from 9 to 12 years. Materials & Method: A digital lateral cephalograph was taken under standard conditions for all children and manual tracings were done for identifying all cephalometric landmarks. The analysis was done using McNamara’s analysis and statistical analysis was done Statistical Analysis: Gender differences were calculated using student’s t test. The software was utilized to calculate the mean value, standard deviation, range, maximum and minimum values for all parameters of McNamara’s analysis for Gujarati boys as well as girls. The inter examiner variability was tested using Karl Pearson correlation test. Results: The mean and standard deviation with minimum values, maximum values and range for each of 11 parameters were calculated for all male and female subjects. The gender differences were also calculated for all subjects. Conclusion: This study introduces cephalometric norms for the mixed dentition period using McNamara Analysis for Gujarati children residing in Ahmedabad – Gandhinagar districts of Gujarat which can be utilized for orthodontic treatment in the future.