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Age Estimation Based on Mandibular Premolar and Molar Development: A Pilot Study

  • Roh, Byung-Yoon (Forensic Medicine Division, National Forensic Service Gwangju Institute) ;
  • Kim, Eui-Joo (Section of Human Identification, Medical Examiner's Office, National Forensic Service) ;
  • Seo, In-Soo (Forensic Medicine Division, National Forensic Service Gwangju Institute) ;
  • Kim, Hyeong-Geon (Forensic Medicine Division, National Forensic Service Gwangju Institute) ;
  • Ryu, Hye-Won (Forensic Medicine Division, National Forensic Service Gwangju Institute) ;
  • Lee, Ju-Heon (Forensic Medicine Division, National Forensic Service Gwangju Institute) ;
  • Seo, Yo-Seob (Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Chosun University) ;
  • Ryu, Ji-Won (Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Chosun University) ;
  • Ahn, Jong-Mo (Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Chosun University)
  • Received : 2021.11.22
  • Accepted : 2021.12.04
  • Published : 2021.12.30

Abstract

Purpose: The dental age estimation of children is performed using dental maturity. Postmortem missing of the anterior teeth or the distortion of image of the anterior teeth in panoramic radiographs can make it difficult to analyze the development of the anterior teeth. This pilot study was conducted to derive a new age estimation method based only on the developmental stage of mandibular posterior teeth. Methods: This study was conducted using panoramic radiographs of 650 subjects aged 3 to 15 years old. The dental developmental stages of the lower left first premolar, second premolar, first molar and second molar were evaluated according to the Demirjian's criteria. The intra-/inter-observer reliability was evaluated, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed including the developmental stage of each tooth as an independent variable. Results: The intra-/inter-observer reliability was 0.9626 and 0.8877, respectively, and showed very high reproducibility. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed for males and females, and the age calculation table was derived by obtaining the intercept and the coefficient according to the development stage of each tooth. The coefficient of determination (r2) of the age calculation method was 0.9634 for male and 0.9570 for female subjects, and the mean difference between chronological age and estimated dental age was -0.42 and -0.21, respectively. Conclusions: This pilot study evaluated the developmental stages of four lower posterior teeth in the Korean group according to Demirjian's criteria, and derived age estimation method. The accuracy was lower than when more teeth were used, but it will be useful to estimate age of children when the anterior teeth are difficult to accurately analyze.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by National Forensic Service, Republic of Korea (NFS2021CLI28).

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