Cervical Vertebral Maturation — NDEB AFK MCQ

Correct answer: C — Peak pubertal growth (growth spurt)

CVM stage 3 (CS3, per Baccetti et al.) indicates the peak of the pubertal growth spurt. At this stage, the bodies of C2, C3, and C4 show concavities on their inferior borders, with C3 and C4 becoming trapezoidal in shape. This is the optimal timing for functional appliance therapy (e.g., twin block, Herbst) in Class II patients and for growth modification treatments. CVM assessment on lateral cephalometric radiographs has largely replaced hand-wrist radiography for growth assessment.

Reference: Proffit – Contemporary Orthodontics, 6th ed., 2019