title: Dental Age Estimation: A Test of the Reliability of Correctly Identifying a Subject Over 18 Years of Age Using the Gold Standard of Chronological Age as the Comparator.
abstract: This study was designed to test the reliability of using the third molars to demarcate between child and adult status. A total of 2000 dental panoramic tomographs were used for assessment of the calculated age using the 8-stage system of tooth development and applied to all four third molars. The LL8 was also assessed using this 8-stage system. For each tooth development stage, the Normal distribution and percentile summary data were estimated. The calculated dental age compared with the chronological age was statistically significantly different (p < 0.001) for both females and males giving underestimates of the true age. Comparison of single tooth dental age and chronological age was only slightly different. The most important finding is that the assignment to above or below the 18-year threshold, in the age range 17 years to 19 years, could be wrong on up to 50% of occasions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, King's College London Dental Institute, Tower Wing, Guy's Campus, Great Maze Pond, London, SE1 9RT, U.K.
authors.forename: Victoria S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics and Research Methods Centre, Division of Patient and Population Health, King's College London Dental Institute, Denmark Hill Campus, Camberwell, London, SE1 9RW, U.K.
authors.forename: Manoharan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andiappan
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, King's College London Dental Institute, Tower Wing, Guy's Campus, Great Maze Pond, London, SE1 9RT, U.K.
authors.forename: Fraser
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, King's College London Dental Institute, Tower Wing, Guy's Campus, Great Maze Pond, London, SE1 9RT, U.K. graham.roberts101@outlook.com.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000366:Age Determination by Teeth; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005553:Forensic Dentistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008964:Molar, Third; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: 18-year threshold; dental age estimation; forensic odontology; forensic science; legal age threshold; lower third molars