• Kuo-Ting Sun, Yun-Zhen Wu, Jui-Ting Hsu, and Heng-Li Huang.
• School of Dentistry, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC.
• J Chin Med Assoc. 2024 Oct 22.

BackgroundAccurate age estimation is vital in forensic medicine and clinical dentistry. The Demirjian method is commonly used for this purpose, but its applicability to Asian individuals is understudied. The present study evaluated the accuracy of dental age (DA) estimation for Taiwanese children by using the Demirjian, Williems, and modified Demirjian methods, comparing these estimates to those of chronological age (CA) based on panoramic X-ray images.MethodsA total of 232 Taiwanese children aged between 5 and 12 years underwent panoramic X-ray scans. Their permanent teeth were assessed using the Demirjian, Williems, and modified Demirjian methods to estimate DA. Regression analysis was employed to determine the correlation between CA and DA, with linear regression equations established using SPSS to identify differences.ResultsThe Willems method had the lowest mean absolute error and the smallest mean difference between DA and CA among the 3 age estimation methods analyzed (p < .001). The R2 value for the difference between DA and CA was 0.831 for the Williems method, 0.813 for the Demirjian method, and 0.782 for the modified Demirjian method (p < .001). The Williems method had the highest correlation with CA, with the linear equation for Taiwanese children being CA = 0.822 × DA + 1.093. For comparison, for the Demirjian method, the equation was CA = 0.894 × DA + 0.165.ConclusionThe effectiveness of predictive methods varies across ethnicities, and therefore, region-specific formulas are required. For Taiwanese children, the Williems method predicts CA most accurately. This study contributes to the fields of legal medicine and clinical dentistry by demonstrating the accuracy of DA in predicting CA.Copyright © 2024, the Chinese Medical Association.

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