Summary
The Demirjian’s method (DM) is the most widely used method for estimating dental age. A number of studies with this method have been performed in different ethnic groups, with European, Asian y North American children being analyzed among others. Possible differences in patterns of dental maturation among different population have been suggested. The aim of this study was to determine dental age with the DM in a sample of 363 panoramic radiographs from children 5-15 years old, obtained from a private radiological maxillofacial center in Curicó, Chile. An inter-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was obtained as a measure of correlation between dental and chronological age of 0.974 (ICC 95% 0.968-0.979). The ICC for boys was 0.972 (ICC 95% 0.963- 0.979) and 0.977 for girls (CCI 95% 0.969-0.983). In general, DM overestimated the age in girls and boys. Dental age (DA) was observed to be higher than chronological age (CA) in 130 boys and 138 girls; DA was equal to CA in 13 boys y 8 girls and lower than CE in 38 boys and 33 girls. In conclusion, our study concurs with several other studies in other places of the world, indeed the DA was found to be higher when compared to the original French-Canadian sample. However, the range obtained for DA is similar to CA and the degree of correlation between both is almost perfect when applying ICC. The degree of correlation between both ages for each sex was found as very good. Furthermore, we consider that DM can be applied to this sample of children.
KEY WORDS: dental age, stages of dental development, Demirjian’s method.
How to cite this article
CADENAS, R. I.; CELIS, C. C.; HIDALGO, R. A.; SCHILLING Q. A. & SAN PEDRO, V. J. Dental age estimation using the Demirjian’s method in children 5 to 15 years of age in Curicó, Chile. Int. J. Odontostomat., 8(3):447-452, 2014.
