Title Page
Contents
Abstract 7
I. Introduction 9
II. Materials and Methods 11
A. Study population 11
B. Study design 12
1. Evaluation of the midpalatal suture maturation 12
2. Maturation assessments by the skeletal maturation indicators (SMI) and the middle phalanx of the third finger (MP3) stages 14
C. Statistical analysis 14
III. Results 16
A. Correlation between the midpalatal suture maturation and the skeletal maturation indicators (SMI) 16
B. Correlation between midpalatal suture maturation and middle phalanx of the third finger (MP3) stages 19
C. Correlation between midpalatal suture maturation and chronological age in male and female 22
IV. Discussion 24
V. Conclusion 29
References 30
국문 초록 34
Table 1. Demographics of the study population 12
Table 2. Relative distributions of the midpalatal suture stages according to the skeletal maturation indicators (SMI) 17
Table 3. Positive likelihood ratios for SMI for the diagnosis of midpalatal suture stages 18
Table 4. Relative distributions of the midpalatal suture stages according to middle phalanx of the third finger (MP3) stages 20
Table 5. Positive likelihood ratios for MP3 stages for the diagnosis of midpalatal suture stages 21
Table 6. Relative distributions of the midpalatal suture stages according to chronological age in male 22
Table 7. Relative distributions of the midpalatal suture stages according to chronological age in female 23
Fig. 1. Schematic illustration of maturation stages of the midpalatal suture. 13
Fig. 2. Cone-beam computed tomography images of the midpalatal suture. 13
Fig. 3. Distributions of maturation stages of midpalatal suture by the skeletal maturation indicators (SMI). 18
Fig. 4. Distributions of maturation stages of midpalatal suture by middle phalanx of the third finger (MP3) stages. 21