Validity of different dental age estimation methods in Pakistani orthodontic patients

• Published in: Australian journal of forensic sciences 2015-07, Vol.47 (3), p.283-292
• Main Authors: Khoja, Aisha, Fida, Mubassar, Shaikh, Attiya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Correlation analysis; dental age; Estimating techniques; forensic odontology; Orthodontics; panoramic radiographs; Patients; Teeth; Validity
• ISSN: 0045-0618; 1834-562X
• DOI: 10.1080/00450618.2014.957347

This research aims to evaluate the validity of Demirjian's (1973), Nolla's (1960) and Willem's (2001) methods of dental age (DA) estimation in Pakistani orthodontic patients (8-16.9 years). It also addresses the validity of these methods in determining dental maturity across the gender and compares the difference between original Demirjian tables (based on French-Canadian standards) and Pakistani tables formulated by Sukhia et al. (2012). Orthopantomograms of 403 subjects (males = 176, females = 227) were examined for DA assessment by different methods. Paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed-ranked tests were used to determine significant differences between mean dental and chronological age among different age groups. Correlation between DA and CA were assessed by the Spearman's correlation (p = ≤0.05). Nolla's method under-estimated the DA by 1.00 ± 1.54 in males and over-estimated by 0.21 ± 1.64 in females. DA was significantly advanced using Pakistani tables (males = 0.32 ± 1.17, females = 0.38 ± 1.33 years) and Willem's method (males = 0.31 ± 1.09, females = 0.29 ± 0.48 years). DA correlated better with CA using Pakistani tables compared with the French-Canadian standards. Earlier dental maturation was reported in females compared with males using Demirjian's and Nolla's methods. Strong correlations were found between CA and DA according to all methods (p < 0.001). Overall, Willem's method was identified as the most valid method for DA estimation in the Pakistani sample.