Abstract
Background: Growth incidents usually progress in a fairly expected sequence; however, their timing and pattern vary across individual subjects. Biochemical biomarkers have an association with bone metabolism and produce signals which stimulate the growth and development of various craniofacial structures. Steroid dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) plays a major role in the initiation of growth hormone actions which has a significant role in promoting and accelerating skeletal maturation during puberty. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between salivary DHEA-S levels and cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) stages throughout the circumpubertal developmental period.Methods: One hundred forty-one participants (70 males and 71 females), between 7 and 23years of age, were categorized into six cervical stages (CS) based on lateral cephalograms. Using a passive drooling technique, unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected from all enrolled subjects.