Abstract
This study was made in order to find out the relationships between the cranial morphology and craniofacial complex in their growth processes, by means of roentgenocephalometry using 138 dry skulls of Indian children which were classified by the cephalic index as dolicocephaly, mesocephaly and brachycephaly, and by Hellman's dental age as IIA, TIC, IIIA and IIIB, individually.
The results of the measurements in the length and multiple regression analysis were as follows:
1) Dolicocephaly was longer in the depth of the anterior and posterior cranium, and shorter in the cranial width than brachycephaly. Dolicocephaly was slightly longer in the height and depth of the anterior facial portions than brachycephaly, and showed a long oval face on the whole.
2) It was demonstrated that the head form depended largely upon the growth in depth of the posterior cranial portion (CL 3). This was done by multiple regression analysis using the cephalic index as criterion variables and the other measurements in length as explanatory variables.
3) By multiple regression analysis using the posterior cranial portion (CL 3) as criterion variables and the other measurements in length as explanatory variables, the following was shown.
In the dolicocephaly 6 variables were selected. The multiple correlation coefficient was 0.673, and the contribution rate was 45.2%, and CL 3 was strongly influenced by the growth in the height of face.
In the mesocephaly 7 variables were selected. The multiple correlation coefficient was 0.740, the contribution rate was 54.7%, and CL 3 was strongly influenced by the growth in the height of the face and the width of the face and cranium.
In the brachycephaly 4 variables were selected. The multiple correlation coefficient was 0.570, the contribution rate was 32.5%, and CL 3 was strongly influenced by the growth in the width of the face and cranium.
