title: Evaluation of third molar development in the estimation of chronological age.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between chronological age and the degree of third molar mineralization by Demirjian's developmental stages (Demirjian et al., 1973) using panoramic radiography. From a total of 11.396 digital panoramic radiographs of patients from three oral radiology private clinics from the northeast region of Brazil, obtained from January to June 2009, 2097 radiographic images from patients aged between 6 and 22 years were selected. The images were analyzed individually by two obsevers using a 21-inch computer screen and Windows Picture and Fax Viewer. Reliability was achieved by intra- and interobserver evaluation, using the Kappa test. Chronological age, calcification stage, gender and third molar were interrelated using a multiple linear regression model, considering age as a response variable. There was reliability with Demirjian et al.'s developmental stage assesment, displaying a significant relationship between mineralization stages and patients' age (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the average age and the calcification stage taking gender and localization of the third molar into consideration. It is possible to estimate chronological age based on Demirjian's stage of a third molar, regardless of gender and location.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Pernambuco, Estrada do Arraial 2385, Recife, PE, Brazil. Electronic address: caiorodriguesmd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Caio Belém Rodrigues Barros
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Fernando Figueira Integral Medical Institute, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Natal
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Figueiroa
authors.affiliation: Estate University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Moura Xavier
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Dantas
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinic Dentistry, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lúcio Mitsuo
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Kurita
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Preventive Dentistry, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréa dos Anjos
authors.initials: Ados A
authors.lastname: Pontual
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Preventive Dentistry, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávia Maria de Moraes
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ramos-Perez
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Preventive Dentistry, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danyel Elias da Cruz
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Preventive Dentistry, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Luiza dos Anjos
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Pontual
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000366:Age Determination by Teeth / Q000379:methods*; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014074:Tooth Calcification; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Age estimation by Teeth; Panoramic radiography; Third molar