Salivary Total Protein and Alkaline Phosphatase Activity as Biomarkers for Skeletal Maturity and Growth Prediction in Healthy Children: An Study.

Introduction: Skeletal maturity assessment involves radiographic analysis and visual inspection of developing bone and their initial appearance or sequential ossification and related changes in size and shape along with the expression of various biomarkers in body fluids.

Aim: To investigate the correlation of biomarkers such as salivary alkaline phosphatase (S-ALP) and salivary total protein (STP) with skeletal maturity assessment and growth prediction in growing children.

Materials And Methods: A total of 8-15-year-old 150 healthy children were divided into five groups depending upon radiographic stage maturity of the middle phalanx of the left hand's third finger according to the Hagg and Taranger method.