Critical analysis of the methods used to evaluate pubertal growth spurt by the specialists in orthodontics

Abstract

Evaluation of pubertal growth spurt (PGS) is important in orthodontic dental practice, because body development that happens at this time of life, can act as an excellent collaborator in dental treatment. The aim of this study is to analyse the methods and how they are used by the specialists in orthodontics, in Salvador – Bahia, to evaluate PGS. Questionnaires were sent with objective and subjective questions to all specialist in orthodontics registered in CROBA. From all 90 orthodontists, only 67 answered, being the convenience sample in which 64,1% were female. The results showed that all orthodontists agree to be necessary to verify the PGS and, 94% had indicated its use for specific cases like: patients in growth, disturbances of osseous growth, orthodontic-surgery treatment and/or ortophaedic, bordering cases, doubts on the period of development. About the used method, it had a predominance of hand and wrist analysis, followed by the cervical vertebrae analysis, dental method and secondary sexual characters. None of the specialists related PGS only to the chronological age. However, when requested names of the preferred methods and difficulties found, there was a large number of specialists who did not answer the questions. Such fact makes to conclude that it is necessary greater spreading of the methods to analyse the PGS, specially the analysis of the cervical vertebrae method, which is most recent.