ABSTRACT
Sexual maturation refers to the process of becoming fully sexually mature, i.e. reaching functional reproductive capability. Morphological maturation can be estimated
through the percentage of adult stature that is already attained at a given age, or by using the timing of the characteristics of the adolescent growth curve, namely age at onset and age at peak height velocity of the growth curve. Skeletal and dental maturation refers respectively to a fully ossifi ed adult skeleton or dentition (Tanner 1962; 1989; Malina et al. 2004; Beunen et al. 2006). It should be noted that both the growth of somatic dimensions and the biological maturation are under the control of hormonal and biochemical axes and their interactions (Beunen et al. 2006).
