Gonial angle growth patterns according to age and gender.

Currently there are controversial results about gender and age differences in human gonial angle values. In this context we aimed to ascertain the gender and age differences in the gonial angle values of young Caucasian Mediterranean subjects. We tested the hypothesis of a relation between the gonial angle values and the gender and age of the subjects by means of a prospective study involving 266 subjects. Panoramic radiographs (Cranex Novus® , XMIND Novus® Soredex, France) were carried out in order to measure the gonial angle values. We found significant differences between females and males in the subgroups aged ≤10years old (128.6±3.4 vs 126.8±4.5, p=0.017), 16-20 years old (119.1±5.6 vs 122.3±7.7, p=0.011), 21-25 years old (117.6±5.2 vs 120.8±7.0, p=0.016) and 26-30 years old (117.5±5.4 vs 120.6±5.4, p=0.019) but not in the subgroup aged 11-15 years old (123.4±5.2 vs 123.5±5.4, p=0.927). A significant negative correlation was found between age and gonial angle values (r=-0.365, p<0.001). In sum, females under 10 years of age have significantly higher values than males. The angle values decreased until the age of 11-15 years of age when there were no significant gender differences. Thus, the males aged over 16 years old presented significantly higher values than the females. The decrease in gonial angle values seems to slow or stop from 21 years onwards. Knowledge of the pattern differences will serve for age and gender determination when analyzing human remains.