DETERMINING CEPHALOMETRIC NORMS FOR CAUCASIANS AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN BIRMINGHAM

The purpose of this study was to establish age- and sex-specific norma tive data for Caucasians and African Americans in Birmingham, Ala. Sub jects (136) between 6 and 18 years old were included in the study. Cha ng's method (AF-BF) and 12 other measurements were used as determinate s of the skeletal sagittal jaw relationship. All subjects had acceptab le facial profiles and Class I occlusion. Subjects were divided into e ight subgroups based on race, gender, and age. Differences of mean cep halometric values were tested using parametric and nonparametric stati stical tests. Compared with Caucasians, Af rican Americans had greater mean values for all measurements except AFB and AF-BF. More negative values were found for the African Americans in the Wits appraisal. Mos t measurements were found to decrease with age. These findings support our hypothesis that cephalometric norms should be based on racial, se x, and age differences.