BackgroundThis study evaluated if genetic variations in theWNTfamily members andRUNX2are associated with craniofacial maturation, investigating dental and skeletal maturity in children and teenagers.MethodsRadiographs from pre-orthodontic treatment of Brazilian patients (7 to 17 years-old) were used to assess dental (panoramic radiographs) and skeletal maturity (cephalometric radiographs). The chronological age (CA) was calculated based on the date of birth and the time the radiographs were performed. For the dental maturity analysis, the Demirjian (1973) method was used and a delta [dental age - chronological age (DA-CA)] was calculated. For the skeletal maturity analysis, the Baccetti et al. (2005) method was used and the patients were classified as “delayed skeletal maturation”, “advanced skeletal maturation” or “normal skeletal maturation”. DNA isolated from buccal cells was used for genotyping of two genetic variations inWNTfamily genes: rs708111 (G > A) inWNT3Aand rs1533767 (G > A) inWNT11; and two genetic variations inRUNX2: rs1200425 (G > A) and rs59983488 (G > T). A statistical analysis was performed and values of p < 0.05 indicated a significant difference.ResultsThere were no associations between dental maturity and genotypes (p > 0.05). In the skeletal maturity analysis, the allele A in the rs708111 (WNT3A) was statistically more frequent in patients with delayed skeletal maturation (Prevalence Ratio = 1.6; 95% Confidence Interval = 1.00 to 2.54; p-value = 0.042).ConclusionsThe rs708111 in theWNT3Agene impacts on skeletal maturation.