The Measurement of Skeletal Maturation

Abstract

Human biologists usually apply the term “maturity” to level of maturity; that is, the extent to which an individual, or a group of individuals, has proceeded towards adulthood. Therefore, maturation is a particular type of development: development that proceeds to the same end point in all individuals. In this sense, measures relative to adult size for the same individual, for example, present stature as a percentage of actual or predicted adult stature, are measures of maturity. The measurement of skeletal maturity is based on the recognition of maturity indicators; these are visible changes or stages that occur during maturation.