title: [Metric and angular variables of the mandibular ramus on panoramic radiographs, as indicators for chronologic age].
abstract: This paper had as goals to identify the presence of age indicators in the mandibular ramus and to study their applicability in estimating the chronological age of children between the ages of 6 and 12 years. For this, a sample of 128 individuals (70 males and 58 females) was selected, all without chronic or acute sicknesses. An evaluation was made of the metric and angular variables of the mandibular ramus on panoramic radiographs of the oral cavity. The Greulich-Pyle method was applied to estimate the skeletal age, and the Demirjian et al. method was applied to estimate the dental age. A positive correlation, statistically significant, could be observed between the metric variables studied and the chronological age; nevertheless, the angular variables did not show correlation with the chronological age. Regression models were built using metric variables of the mandibular ramus in order to estimate the age, which made a significant contribution to the calculation of the age. A consistent subestimation of the skeletal age and an overestimation of the dental age were found in both sexes. It was evident that a combination of the dental age, the skeletal age and the metric variables obtained in the mandibular ramus, increases the precision for calculating the chronological age, when compared to separate-made estimations of the dental and skeletal age. The proposed regression models can be used for estimating the age of cadavers in advanced states of decomposition and in living individuals without valid identification documents.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Odontología Forense, Area de Clínica y Patología, Instituto de Investigaciones, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela. aespina@luz.edu.ve
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Espina-Fereira
authors.forename: Ana Isabel
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: Fernando Alonso
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Barrios
authors.forename: Yadelsy Jackelina
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fereira
mesh_terms: D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton / Q000379:methods*; D000366:Age Determination by Teeth; D000367:Age Factors; D053587:Arthrometry, Articular; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development; D008954:Models, Biological; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors