Imaging Sci Dent.  2013 Dec;43(4):267-272. 10.5624/isd.2013.43.4.267.

Dental maturity of Saudi children: Role of ethnicity in age determination

• Baghdadi Z

• KMID: 2229610
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5624/isd.2013.43.4.267

Abstract

PURPOSE
Demirjian's dental maturity scores and curves have been widely used for human age determination. Several authors have reported considerable differences between the true and estimated age based on the Demirjian curves, which have been accounted for by ethnicity. The purpose of the current study was to assess the role of ethnicity-specific dental maturation curves in age estimation of Saudi children.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A sample of 452 healthy Saudi children aged 4 to 14 years were aged based on the original French-Canadian Demirjian curves and several modified Demirjian curves specified for certain ethnic groups: Saudi, Kuwaiti, Polish, Dutch, Pakistani, and Belgian. One-way ANOVA and a post hoc Scheffe's test were used to assess the differences between chronological age and dental age estimated by the different curves (P<0.05).
RESULTS
The curves designed for Dutch, Polish, Saudi, and Belgian (5th percentile) populations had a significantly lower error in estimating age than the original French-Canadian and Belgian (50th percentile) curves. The optimal curve for males was the Saudi one, with a mean absolute difference between estimated age and chronological age of 8.6 months. For females, the optimal curve was the Polish one, with a mean absolute difference of 7.4 months. It was revealed that accurate age determination was not related to certain ethnicity-specific curves.
CONCLUSION
We conclude that ethnicity might play a role in age determination, but not a principal one.

Keyword

Forensic Dentistry; Age Determination by Teeth; Child; Radiography, Panoramic

MeSH Terms

Age Determination by Teeth
Child*
Ethnic Groups
Female
Forensic Dentistry
Humans
Male
Radiography, Panoramic

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The mean difference between the true and estimated age based on ethnic specific curves (males). The curves designed for Dutch, Polish, Saudi (extended), and Belgian (5th percentile) populations have a significantly lower error in estimating age than the other curves.

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  Fig. 2 The mean difference between the true and estimated age based on ethnic specific curves (females). The curves designed for Dutch, Polish, Saudi (extended), Pakistani, and Belgian (5th percentile) populations have a significantly lower error in estimating age than the other curves.

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  Fig. 3 The mean absolute difference between the different curves in months (males). The optimal curve for males is the Saudi (extended) curve, with a mean absolute difference of 8.6 months.

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  Fig. 4 The mean absolute difference between the different curves in months (females). The optimal curve is that of the Polish, with a mean absolute difference of 7.4 months.

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  Fig. 5 Plots of age (x-axis) against maturation score (y-axis) for Saudi boys from 4 to 14 years of age, according to the maturity score calculated using different ethnic specific curves.

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  Fig. 6 Plots of age (x-axis) against maturation score (y-axis) for Saudi girls from 4 to 14 years of age, according to the maturity score calculated using different ethnic specific curves.

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