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Jaw Dimensions, Skeletal Maturation, and Salivary Hormones in Adolescents With Normal and Increased Body Mass Index: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate jaw dimensions, skeletal maturation, and salivary hormonal and adipokine levels in adolescents with normal and increased body mass index (BMI). SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: This cross-sectional study included 50 adolescents (mean age 13.54 ± 1.39 years), categorized into normal (n = 26) or increased BMI (n = 24) groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pre-treatment lateral cephalograms were analysed for effective maxillary (Co-A) and mandibular (Co-Gn) lengths, and skeletal maturation was assessed via the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) index. The skeletal maturity index (SMI) was evaluated on hand-wrist radiographs. Unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) samples were analysed using multiplex immunoassays for growth hormone, IGF-1, cortisol, estradiol, testosterone, adiponectin, and resistin. Group comparisons used parametric or non-parametric tests with false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Spearman correlations and multivariable regression models, adjusted for age, sex, and race, were computed. RESULTS: Adolescents with increased BMI had significantly greater effective mandibular length (Co-Gn; mean difference: 8.13 mm; FDR-adjusted p = 0.045). Effective maxillary length showed a similar trend (Co-A; FDR-adjusted p = 0.067). No significant differences were observed in vertical, dental, or soft tissue variables, CVM, or SMI. Salivary cortisol was lower (FDR-adjusted p = 0.003) and resistin was higher (FDR-adjusted p = 0.024) in the increased BMI group. In regression models, UWS adiponectin remained an independent negative predictor of Co-A and Co-Gn (both p = 0.005) after adjusting for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Increased BMI was associated with greater mandibular length in pre-treatment orthodontic adolescents. Salivary adiponectin was negatively associated with jaw dimensions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT07217756.

Source: Orthodontics and Craniofacial Research

DOI: 10.1111/ocr.70191