Bone Maturation: A Literature Review

Bone maturation is the process of ossification development that takes place during childhood and adolescence as somatic growth occurs, and it allows determining the biological development of the patient in a more reliable way than chronological age. This analysis is performed through radiographs that show the modifications in the bones throughout growth, and although the process of change is similar for all bones, the specific events that occur are independent of chronological age. Therefore, the aim of this literature review was to describe the main indices of bone maturation because they play a crucial role in the planning and execution of effective orthodontic treatments, which underlines the need for a thorough understanding of this process in clinical practice.