Estimating the 18-Year Threshold with Third Molars Radiographs in the Southern Italy Population: Accuracy and Reproducibility of Demirjian Method

Mario Caggiano, Giuseppe Scelza, Alessandra Amato, Raffaele Orefice, Simona Belli, Stefano Pagano (), Chiara Valenti and Stefano Martina
Additional contact information
Mario Caggiano: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Via Allende, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
Giuseppe Scelza: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Via Allende, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
Alessandra Amato: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Via Allende, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
Raffaele Orefice: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Via Allende, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
Simona Belli: ASL Napoli 1 Centro, Strada Comunale del Principe, 13/a, 80145 Napoli, Italy
Stefano Pagano: Odontostomatological University Centre, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
Chiara Valenti: Odontostomatological University Centre, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
Stefano Martina: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Via Allende, 84081 Baronissi, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 16, 1-7

Abstract: The estimation of the age of the majority of living subjects is widely required nowadays due to the presence of unidentifiable individuals, without documents and general information, involved in migration or legal procedures. Dental age estimation (DAE) is a valid method for investigating the age of subjects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the Demirjian method in a limited age group (16–24 years) in differentiating between older and younger than 18 years. From an initial sample of 17,594 radiographs, 460 were selected meeting the inclusion criteria. Two dentists provided the age estimate according to the Demirjian method, with a simplified approach based on the development of the third molars. The presence of a developmental stage of H for at least one third molar allowed to establish the major age if the other third molars, inferior or superior, have reached a stage equal or superior to F, with an accuracy of 90.2% and a predictive positive value of 91.6%. Thirty-three patients showed the development of at least one third molar (Stage H) before the age of 18 years while six patients showed the development of all four third molars with root completion (stage H) before the age of 18 years. When all third molars reached stage H an individual was over 18 years old in 97.4% of cases. In presence of one third molar on stage H and a stage equal or superior to F for the other third molars the probability of being of major age was 91.6%.

Keywords: third molars; dental imaging; age estimation; Demirjian method (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/16/10454/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/16/10454/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:16:p:10454-:d:894647

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().