title: Variability in permanent tooth emergence sequences in Flemish children.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the variability in permanent tooth emergence sequences in Flemish children. Data were obtained in the Signal-Tandmobiel project, a 6-yr prospective longitudinal oral health screening survey in Belgium. Bayesian statistical analyses, taking into account the interval-censored character of the data, were performed. The analyses indicated that no sequence was common in a quadrant to more than 19% of the sample. When only those emergence sequences are considered with a prevalence of 1% or more, 21 variations can be expected in the maxilla and 15-22 variations in the mandible. These variations 'cover' 84-88% of all sequences. The presentation of emergence sequences solely based on means or medians should thus be regarded as misleading.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Oral Pathology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Catholic University Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. roos.leroy@med.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Roos
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cecere
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lesaffre
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Declerck
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D019229:Dentition, Permanent; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000502:physiology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000502:physiology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014078:Tooth Eruption / Q000502:physiology*