INTRODUCTION: Cranial base flexion plays a very crucial role in the study of the craniofacial complex, particularly in the treatment of skeletal malocclusions. The outcome of treatment can be predicted if the growth and flexion of the cranial base is understood. An understanding of the growth of the cranial base has come to assume great importance in orthodontics, and successful treatment of skeletal malocclusions depends largely on the growth and flexion of the patients' cranial base.
AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between cranial base flexion and skeletal jaw relationships in a sample of Black South Africans.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample consisted of 300 pre-treatment cephalograms of Black South Africans which consisted of equal numbers of males and females, and was also equally stratified into Class I, II and III skeletal classifications according to the cephalometric tracing. A digital cephalometric analysis software program (Orthview®, Netherlands) was used to trace and analyse the lateral cephalograms. The mean cranial base flexion values for the individual groups were then compared to the skeletal jaw relationships using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The sample was also analysed to determine if gender differences existed between cranial base flexion and skeletal jaw relationships.
RESULTS: Age and gender comparison showed no significant difference in all three groups of skeletal jaw classification. The results demonstrated a significantly larger cranial base flexion in the Class II skeletal classification group when compared with Class I and Class III groups.
CONCLUSION: It was concluded that, in this sample, a larger cranial base angle is associated with skeletal Class II malocclusion and a smaller cranial base angle is associated with either Class I or Class III malocclusion.