[Validation of method for estimation age of majority by the third molar maturity index on the sample of Ufa population]. / Validatsiya metoda opredeleniya vozrasta sovershennoletiya po indeksu zrelosti tret'ego molyara na vyborke naseleniya g. Ufy.

The assessment of majority age is important for determining legal responsibility. The definition of the 3rd molar maturity index (Im3) have proven to be a simple and effective method of majority age establishment, the accuracy of which has been tested in different populations. There is a clear lack of studies in this scientific area in Russia. OBJECTIVE: To test diagnostic accuracy of majority age assessment method by 3rd molar (Cameriere index) in the Ufa sample. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The number of orthopantomograms equal 120 from males and females aged from 14 to 23 years without apparent pathological changes of the pulp of teeth 38 and 48 was examined. The measures were conducted using the standard R. Cameriere method. The method of logistic regression, determination of predictive values of sensitivity and specificity were used. RESULTS: The Im3 cut-off point, that was equal 0.08, had a sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 95% in the male sample, accuracy of age group determination was 93%. In the female sample the method sensitivity was 93%, specificity - 97%, accuracy - 97%. CONCLUSION: The study results confirmed the absence of population variability of the Cameriere index value, that makes it possible to use the majority age determination method by 3rd molar for practical application in the examination of a living person at the territory of the Russian Federation.

A fully automated classification of third molar development stages using deep learning.

Accurate classification of tooth development stages from orthopantomograms (OPG) is crucial for dental diagnosis, treatment planning, age assessment, and forensic applications. This study aims to develop an automated method for classifying third molar development stages using OPGs. Initially, our data consisted of 3422 OPG images, each classified and curated by expert evaluators. The dataset includes images from both Q3 (lower jaw left side) and Q4 (lower right side) regions extracted from panoramic images, resulting in a total of 6624 images for analysis. Following data collection, the methodology employs region of interest extraction, pre-filtering, and extensive data augmentation techniques to enhance classification accuracy. The deep neural network model, including architectures such as EfficientNet, EfficientNetV2, MobileNet Large, MobileNet Small, ResNet18, and ShuffleNet, is optimized for this task. Our findings indicate that EfficientNet achieved the highest classification accuracy at 83.7%. Other architectures achieved accuracies ranging from 71.57 to 82.03%. The variation in performance across architectures highlights the influence of model complexity and task-specific features on classification accuracy. This research introduces a novel machine learning model designed to accurately estimate the development stages of lower wisdom teeth in OPG images, contributing to the fields of dental diagnostics and treatment planning.

Studying eruption patterns of mandibular third molars for forensic age assessment: Introducing current reference data from a population of black South Africans.

INTRODUCTION: Evaluation of the eruption of mandibular third molars in orthopantomograms (OPGs) is a method of forensic age assessment. The objective of our study was to provide valid reference data for this trait within a population of black South Africans. The study was guided by the criteria for reference studies in age assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A study population from Pretoria, South Africa comprising 670 OPGs obtained from 338 black females and 332 black males aged between 15.00 and 25.97 years was analysed. All OPGs were performed for medical indication during the period from 2011 to 2022 and were retrospectively evaluated. From the 670 OPGs, a total of 1021 mandibular third molars were evaluated. The assessment of mandibular third molars was conducted using the staging scale presented by Olze et al. in 2012. Two experienced dentists evaluated the OPGs independently of each other. If the two examiners diverged in their assessments, a consensus stage was assigned. RESULTS: As expected, the mean, median and minimal age increased with higher stages for both teeth and both sexes. The minimum age recorded for stage D, indicating complete tooth eruption, was 15.79 years in females and 16.62 years in males. CONCLUSION: As it is the case for previous reference studies in other countries, placing exclusive reliance on the evaluation of mandibular third molar eruption is inadequate for ascertaining the age of majority among Black South Africans. Future studies need to examine if our results are transferable to other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Applicability of Cameriere's third molar maturity index on orthopantomograms and computed tomography scans from a French population.

Cameriere developed a method on orthopantomograms (OPG) to assess adult age of 18 years based on the relationship between age and the third molar maturity index I3M. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether Cameriere's method could be applied to computed-tomography scans (CT-scans) from a population of French juveniles and young adults and compare the results obtained from OPG of the same individuals. Our sample comprised 200 examinations that had been performed at the radiological department of a French University hospital between 2007 and 2020. Each patient had received an OPG and a cranial CT scan for medical purposes, and we used a similar adaptation of I3M based on OPG to determine the I3M based on CT scans. Due to exclusion criteria, our final sample comprised 71 OPGs and 63 CT scans. Based on the 71 OPGs, there was concordance between chronological age and estimated age, with a sensitivity of 78.57%, a specificity of 89.47%, and a misclassified rate of 18.03% based on tooth 38, and a sensitivity of 78.79%, a specificity of 91.67%, and a misclassified rate of 17.78% based on tooth 48. Our results based on CT scans presented concordance between chronological age and estimated age for tooth 38 described by a sensitivity of 77.78%, a specificity of 94.12%, and a misclassified rate of 16.98%. The concordance between chronological age and estimated age based on 48 had a sensitivity of 75.00%, a specificity of 93.75%, and a misclassified rate of 19.23%. The > 90% ICC indicate an excellent similarity between measurements of teeth 38 and 48 based on OPGs and CT scans. This study has revealed the applicability of the Cameriere's method to calculate the I3M based on CT scans from a French population. The results based on CT scans are similar to results based on OPGs from the same individuals.

Dental age assessment and dental scoring systems: combined different statistical methods.

INTRODUCTION: Age Estimation has been considered as a human basic right, carried out through the use of tables for dental age assessment based on the chronology of tooth eruption. As such, the final aim of this investigation is to create tables with applicability to the Portuguese population, for the different scoring systems used and combined different statistical approaches. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For this purpose, dental age assessment was achieved in all four third molars, using different scoring systems, in a total sample of 626 orthopantomograms (324 females, 302 males), aged between 12 and 25 years old, from the database population of Lisbon North University Hospital Center, approved by the Ethic Committee. RESULTS: The values of validation showed excellent results both on precision and on reproducibility. Mostly all methods showed statistically significant differences between the estimated age and the chronological age and, therefore, the presence of estimation errors. Kullman's and Mincer's methods are the ones with best applicability in the Portuguese population, in the lower third molars. The reliability measures (sensitivity, specificity and accuracy) values decrease as age increases. CONCLUSION: A combination of the scoring systems as a protocol for dental age assessment in Portuguese nationality was established. Tables, for all the scoring systems used, were made with applicability in the Portuguese population.

Radiological assessment of periodontal ligament space visibility on third molars for forensic age assessment - a comparison study of three different staging scales.

Various staging scales have been proposed for the assessment of the visibility of the periodontal ligament space of mandibular third molars on dental panoramic radiographs (PANs) for forensic age assessment in living individuals. However, up to now, there has been no systematic comparison between these staging scales available. We directly compared the 2010 staging scale proposed by Olze et al. with the 2017 staging by Lucas et al. and the 2020 staging by Guo et al. in a German study population. We evaluated 233 PANs from 115 females and 118 males aged 20.0 to 40.9 years using three independent examiners, with one examiner conducting two assessments. We examined the correlation between age and stage, as well as the inter- and intra-rater reliabilities. While the point estimates for the correlation coefficient and the reliability measures were lowest for the Guo scale and highest for the Olze scale, confidence intervals showed a large overlap, particularly for the scales of Olze et al. and Lucas et al. The correlation coefficients between stage and age were consistently lower in females than in males across all methods. In summary, we showed that the staging scales of Olze et al. and Lucas et al. were very similar. The Olze method showed higher point estimates across all analyses, and because there are more reference data available for this method, we argue that it should be preferred as the method of choice for further studies in the field. However, Guo method could be considered for instances, in which the inter-radicular periodontal ligament is not evaluable.

Validación de un modelo cefalométrico de predicción para el brote de los terceros molares / Validation of a cephalometric prediction model for third molar eruption

Introducción: La intervención temprana en el brote anormal de los terceros molares podría reducir la proporción de pacientes con las molestias asociadas y la aparición de alteraciones producto a la retención dentaria. Objetivo: Validar el modelo cefalométrico predictivo para el brote de los terceros molares desarrollado González Espangler. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio longitudinal, descriptivo, de corte transversal, en adolescentes del Instituto Preuniversitario "Rafael María de Mendive" de Santiago de Cuba durante el periodo comprendido entre enero del 2017 y marzo del 2020. Fueron empleadas dos muestras aleatorias de 21 estudiantes de 15-18 años y 29 profesionales de las ciencias de la salud. Se estudiaron variables como el sexo, color de la piel, localización, etapa de formación, espacio óseo posterior, angulación, diámetro mesiodistal, factores predictivos y tipo de brote de los terceros molares. Resultados: Predominó el tipo de brote anormal: 19,0 por ciento para la localización 1.8; 17,9 por ciento para la 2.8; 21,4 por ciento en la 3.8 y 20,2 por ciento en la posición 4.8. No existieron diferencias significativas entre las medidas promedios del espacio óseo posterior, angulación y diámetro mesiodistal con el estudio de referencia. La validación de modelo por criterio de expertos obtuvo una calificación global de concordancia entre ellos del 100 por ciento. Conclusiones: El modelo cefalométrico predictivo validado es viable en el proceso de predicción del brote de los terceros molares en la población(AU)

Introduction: Early intervention in the abnormal eruption of third molars could reduce the number of patients with associated discomfort and the appearance of alterations caused by dental retention. Objective: Validate the cephalometric prediction model for third molar eruption developed by González Espangler. Methods: A cross-sectional longitudinal descriptive study was conducted of adolescents from Rafael María de Mendive Senior High School in Santiago de Cuba from January 2017 to March 2020. The two random samples examined consisted of 21 students aged 15-18 years and 29 health sciences professionals. The variables considered were sex, skin color, location, training stage, posterior bony space, angulation, mesiodistal diameter, predictive factors and type of third molar eruption. Results: Abnormal eruption prevailed: 19.0 percent in location 1.8; 17.9 percent in 2.8; 21.4 percent in 3.8 and 20.2 percent in 4.8. Significant differences were not observed between average values for posterior bony space, angulation and mesiodistal diameter, and the study reference. Validation of the model by expert criteria obtained a global agreement score of 100 percent. Conclusions: The cephalometric prediction model validated in the study is viable for the prediction of third molar eruptions in the population(AU)

Comparison of the third molar maturity index (I3M) between left and right lower third molars to assess the age of majority: a multi-ethnic study sample.

The diagnostic accuracy of the I3M to assess the legal age of 18 years has already been tested in several specific-population samples. The left lower third molar has been extensively used for discriminating between minors and adults. This research aimed to compare the usefulness of lower third molar maturity indexes, from both left and right side (I3ML and I3MR), in samples originating from four distinct continents in order to examine possible differences in their accuracy values. For this purpose, a sample of 10,181 orthopantomograms (OPGs), from Europe, Africa, Asia and America, was analysed and previously scored in other studies. The samples included healthy subjects with no systemic disorders with both third molars and clear depicted root apices. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test for left and right asymmetry did not show any significant differences. Data about sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, likelihood ratio and accuracy were pooled together and showed similar results for I3ML and I3MR, respectively. In addition, all these quantities were high when only the I3MR was considered to discriminate between adults and minors. The present referable database was the first to pool third molar measurements using panoramic radiographs of subjects coming from different continents. The results highlighted that both I3ML and I3MR are reliable indicators for assessing the legal age of 18 years old in those jurisdictions where this legal threshold has been set as the age of majority.

Study of the ethnicity's influence on the third molar maturity index (I3M) for estimating age of majority in living juveniles and young adults.

Estimation of age of majority has important applications in the forensic daily practice because of the increasing demand for age estimates of unaccompanied minors. Diagnostic accuracy of I3M to assess legal adult age of 18 years has been already tested in several specific population samples. The aim of this work was to compare the available data about sensitivity and specificity of the third molar maturity index (I3M) from five different regional groups' radiographic samples to study possible ethnical difference. For this purpose, a sample of 6157 orthopantomograms (OPGs), coming from 15 countries, was analysed. Data about sensitivity and specificity were pooled using a bivariate modelling approach. The one-way MANOVA analysis was applied to assess the likelihood that sensitivity and specificity of the five regional groups are sampled from the same population. The result of the one-way MANOVA showed that both sensitivity and specificity did not depend from the regional groups. The obtained sensitivity was 84% (95% CI: 82% and 85%), and its specificity was 94% (95% CI: 93% and 95%). Based on these results, the I3M was a useful statistical tool to identify whether a subject has reached the legal age of 18 years old, regardless of his or her ethnicity.

Molecular and morphological findings in a sample of oral surgery patients: What can we learn for multivariate concepts for age estimation?

It has already been proposed that a combined use of different molecular and morphological markers of aging in multivariate models may result in a greater accuracy of age estimation. However, such an approach can be complex and expensive, and not every combination may be useful. The significance and usefulness of combined analyses of D-aspartic acid in dentine, pentosidine in dentine, DNA methylation in buccal swabs at five genomic regions (PDE4C, RPA2, ELOVL2, DDO, and EDARADD), and third molar mineralization were tested by investigating a sample of 90 oral surgery patients. Machine learning models for age estimation were trained and evaluated, and the contribution of each parameter to multivariate models was tested by assessment of the predictor importance. For models based on D-aspartic acid, pentosidine, and the combination of both, mean absolute errors (MAEs) of 2.93, 3.41, and 2.68 years were calculated, respectively. The additional inclusion of the five DNAm markers did not improve the results. The sole DNAm-based model revealed a MAE of 4.14 years. In individuals under 28 years of age, the combination of the DNAm markers with the third molar mineralization stages reduced the MAE from 3.85 to 2.81 years. Our findings confirm that the combination of parameters in multivariate models may be very useful for age estimation. However, the inclusion of many parameters does not necessarily lead to better results. It is a task for future research to identify the best selection of parameters for the different requirements in forensic practice.

Validation of Roberts' method using root canal width patterns as a mandibular maturity marker in determining the 18-year threshold.

The South African Bill of Rights and the Children's Act define a 'child' as a person under the age of 18 years. The age of 18 years is therefore significant for legal purposes in South Africa. The third molar is an important indicator in determining the 18-year threshold. Human biological growth markers are accepted indicators of a subject attaining the age of 18 years. A recent study by Roberts et al. suggested that the relative width of the distal root canals (RCW) of the lower left permanent molars (Fédération Dentaire Internationale notation 36, 37 and 38) as visualised on dental panoramic radiographs can be used as such a growth marker. This study aimed to validate this human biological growth marker in both black and white populations living in South Africa according to Roberts' method. The findings of this validation study were in agreement with this method which showed that individuals with Demirjian stage H left molars and category RCW-C were indeed over the 18-year threshold. Important aspects regarding the rationality and application of Roberts' method are discussed. The authors conclude that this method should not be used in isolation but as an adjunct with other age estimation methods.

Age estimation in the living: A scoping review of population data for skeletal and dental methods.

Age estimation of living individuals has become a crucial part of the forensic practice, especially due to the global increase in cross-border migration. The low rate of birth registration in many countries, hence of identification documents of migrants, especially in Africa and Asia, highlights the importance of reliable methods for age estimation of living individuals. Despite the fact that a number of skeletal and dental methods for age estimation have been developed, their main limitation is that they are based on specific reference samples and there is still no consensus among researchers on whether these methods can be applied to all populations. Though this issue remains still unsolved, population information at a glance could be useful for forensic practitioners dealing with such issues. This study aims at presenting a scoping review and mapping of the current situation concerning population data for skeletal (hand-wrist and clavicle) and dental methods (teeth eruption and third molar formation) for age estimation in the living. Two hundred studies on the rate of skeletal maturation and four hundred thirty-nine on the rate of dental maturation were found, covering the period from 1952 and 2020 for a total of ninety-eight countries. For most of the western and central African countries there are currently no data on the rate of skeletal and dental maturation. The same applies to the countries of the Middle East, as well as the eastern European countries, especially as regard the skeletal development.

Comparison of different machine learning approaches to predict dental age using Demirjian's staging approach.

CONTEXT: Dental age, one of the indicators of biological age, is inferred by radiological methods. Two of the most commonly used methods are using Demirjian's radiographic stages of permanent teeth excluding the third molar (Demirjian's and Willems' method). The major drawbacks of these methods are that they are based on population-specific conversion tables and may tend to over- or underestimate dental age in other populations. Machine learning (ML) methods make it possible to create complex data schemas more simply while keeping the same annotation system. The objectives of this study are to compare (1) the capacity of ten machine learning algorithms to predict dental age in children using the seven left permanent mandibular teeth compared to reference methods and (2) the capacity of ten machine learning algorithms to predict dental age from childhood to young adulthood using the seven left permanent mandibular teeth and the four third molars. METHODS: Using a large radiological database of 3605 orthopantomograms (1734 females and 1871 males) of healthy French patients aged between 2 and 24 years, seven left permanent mandibular teeth and the 4 third molars were assessed using Demirjian's stages. Dental age estimation was then performed using Demirjian's reference method and various ML regression methods. Two analyses were performed: with the 7 left mandibular teeth without third molars for the under 16 age group and with the third molars for the entire study population. The different methods were compared using mean error, mean absolute error, root mean square error as metrics, and the Bland-Altman graph. RESULTS: All ML methods had a mean absolute error (MAE) under 0.811 years. With Demirjian's and Willems' methods, the MAE was 1.107 and 0.927 years, respectively. Except for the Bayesian ridge regression that gives poorer accuracy, there was no statistical difference between all ML tested. CONCLUSION: Compared to the two reference methods, all the ML methods based on the maturation stages defined by Demirjian were more accurate in estimating dental age. These results support the use of ML algorithms instead of using standard population tables.

A new model of classification of third molars development and its correlation with chronological age in a Brazilian subpopulation.

The present study correlated the mineralization of third molars to chronological age using a modified classification based on Demirjian's stages in a Brazilian subpopulation and compared with the original classification. A total of 1082 patients with age ranging from 6 to 26 years were included in the sample, with at least one third molar on panoramic radiographs. The third molars were classified according to the original Demirjian classification (8 stages) and a new model based on the Demirjian method, where the original stages were grouped into four stages: AB-enamel mineralization; CD-crown dentin mineralization; EFG-root formation; and H-complete development. Statistical analyses were performed by Kruskal-Wallis/Dunn tests (α = 0.05) and the multinomial logistic regression model. Data were analyzed according to percentiles for the probability of an individual being over 18 years old. The mean ages of the stages in both classifications did not present a significant difference between superior and inferior arches (p < 0.05). The differences in mean ages between all the stages of mineralization were statistically significant (p < 0.001) only for the 4-stage classification. Males attained root formation and complete formation earlier than females (p < 0.05) in the 4-stage classification. The modified classification system showed dependence between chronological age and mineralization stages of third molars, simplifying the age estimation process. At stage H, females present a 95.7% chance of being over 18, while for males, this probability is 89.6%. This modified classification system simplifies the dental age estimation process based on third molars and can be used as a reference for future studies.

Growth and development of the third permanent molar in Paranthropus robustus from Swartkrans, South Africa.

Third permanent molars (M3s) are the last tooth to form but have not been used to estimate age at dental maturation in early fossil hominins because direct histological evidence for the timing of their growth has been lacking. We investigated an isolated maxillary M3 (SK 835) from the 1.5 to 1.8-million-year-old (Mya) site of Swartkrans, South Africa, attributed to Paranthropus robustus. Tissue proportions of this specimen were assessed using 3D X-ray micro-tomography. Thin ground sections were used to image daily growth increments in enamel and dentine. Transmitted light microscopy and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence imaging revealed fluctuations in Ca concentration that coincide with daily growth increments. We used regional daily secretion rates and Sr marker-lines to reconstruct tooth growth along the enamel/dentine and then cementum/dentine boundaries. Cumulative growth curves for increasing enamel thickness and tooth height and age-of-attainment estimates for fractional stages of tooth formation differed from those in modern humans. These now provide additional means for assessing late maturation in early hominins. M3 formation took ≥ 7 years in SK 835 and completion of the roots would have occurred between 11 and 14 years of age. Estimated age at dental maturation in this fossil hominin compares well with what is known for living great apes.

Performance and comparison of the London Atlas technique and Cameriere's third molar maturity index (I3M) for allocating individuals below or above the threshold of 18 years.

Age estimation is an important procedure in the forensic practice, especially when it comes to the criminal imputability of juvenile offenders. This study aimed to compare two radiographic methods for dental age estimation in a population of subadults from Northeast Brazil considering their performance on allocating individuals below or above the age threshold of 18 years. A cross-sectional observational study was designed. The sample consisted of 1200 panoramic radiographs of Northeastern Brazilian females (n = 600) and males (n = 600) aged between 16 and 21 years. Dental age estimation was performed using the London Atas technique and Cameriere's third molar maturity index (I3M). Statistical tests were performed to assess the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the two methods on distinguishing individuals below or above the legal age threshold of 18 years. Considering the total sample, the London Atlas technique reached sensitivity of 92.3%, specificity of 56% and accuracy of 79.9%. I3M revealed sensitivity of 94.1%, specificity of 55.4% and accuracy of 79.8%. Specificity rates systematically decreased when the sample was progressively stratified based on age groups that narrowed close to 18 years. The methods performed very similar (0.878). The combination of methods did not improve the performance on dental age estimation. The London Atlas and the I3M methods similarly distinguished Brazilian individuals as minors or not. Their performance, however, was suboptimal because of the low rates of specificity that could negatively influence on Court decisions. In other words, the methods could wrongly classify minors into the age of legal majority (culminating in false positives). In practice, the misleading classification could restrict individual rights (in the civil scenario) or even support more severe penalties (in the criminal scenario).

Applicability of newly derived second and third molar maturity indices for indicating the legal age of 16 years in the Southern Chinese population.

In China, forensic age estimation in the living has become increasingly important in these few years. Due to increasing juvenile crimes, the age of 16 years has become the legal age threshold for determining whether the juvenile criminal law or adult criminal law applies to the citizen. This study aimed to assess new cut-off values of the third molar maturity index (I3M) and second molar maturity index (I2M) at the legal age threshold of 16 years in Southern Chinese population and then to compare the applicability of the cut-off values of I3M and I2M we set for discriminating whether a subject is ≥ 16 years. Orthopantomograms (OPGs) of 671 healthy Southern Chinese subjects (332 males and 339 females), aged between 10 and 20 years, were studied. Logistic regression analysis was performed with chronological age (below 16 years and over 16 years) as a dichotomous dependent variable and, I3M, I2M, and sex as predictive variables. The high p-value for sex (p = 0.861) reveals that this factor was not statistically significant in assessing the legal age of 16. The cut-off values of I3M < 0.38 and I2M < 0.03 were identified and used to distinguish between individuals who were or were not aged ≥ 16 years. Compared with a single predictor (I3M) alone, combining I3M and I2M can be more reliable for determining whether an individual is aged more than 16 years. We found that accuracy was 88.52% (95% confidence interval CI, 86.11-90.94%) and sensitivity and specificity were 77.96% (95% CI, 74.82-81.10%) and 97.28% (95% CI, 96.04-98.51%), respectively. The estimated Bayes post-test probability was 99.12% (95% CI, 98.41-99.83%). In conclusion, combining I3M and I2M may be useful in legal and forensic practices to determine the legal age of 16 years in Southern Chinese individuals.

Towards fully automated third molar development staging in panoramic radiographs.

Staging third molar development is commonly used for age assessment in sub-adults. Current staging techniques are, at most, semi-automated and rely on manual interactions prone to operator variability. The aim of this study was to fully automate the staging process by employing the full potential of deep learning, using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in every step of the procedure. The dataset used to train the CNNs consisted of 400 panoramic radiographs (OPGs), with 20 OPGs per developmental stage per sex, staged in consensus between three observers. The concepts of transfer learning, using pre-trained CNNs, and data augmentation were used to mitigate the issues when dealing with a limited dataset. In this work, a three-step procedure was proposed and the results were validated using fivefold cross-validation. First, a CNN localized the geometrical center of the lower left third molar, around which a square region of interest (ROI) was extracted. Second, another CNN segmented the third molar within the ROI. Third, a final CNN used both the ROI and the segmentation to classify the third molar into its developmental stage. The geometrical center of the third molar was found with an average Euclidean distance of 63 pixels. Third molars were segmented with an average Dice score of 93%. Finally, the developmental stages were classified with an accuracy of 54%, a mean absolute error of 0.69 stages, and a linear weighted Cohen's kappa coefficient of 0.79. The entire automated workflow on average took 2.72 s to compute, which is substantially faster than manual staging starting from the OPG. Taking into account the limited dataset size, this pilot study shows that the proposed fully automated approach shows promising results compared with manual staging.

Estimation of Age Using Third Molar Development: A Radiological Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to correlate chronological age of the patients with dental age using to Demirjian's method and to evaluate if orthopantamogram examination of third molar development correlates with age estimation. STUDY DESIGN: The study was designed as a radiological cross sectional study. Simple random sampling method was used to obtain study subjects. METHODS: Total of 231 patients between the age group of 10 to 25 years, visiting the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology were selected. The digital orthopantomogram was obtained for these patients. RESULTS: Our data showed that, in the maxilla, the stages of tooth developments A to E were reached earlier in men than in women, whereas stages F to H were reached earlier in women than men. In mandible stages B, C, E to F were reached earlier in men than women, whereas stages A and D were reached earlier by the female counterparts. There was a statistically significant difference noted between right and left third molar teeth in all the stages of tooth development. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that between the sexes in maxilla, men reached stages A to E earlier than women, whereas for stages F to H, women reached the stage earlier than men. For mandible, all stages except stage D were reached earlier by male subjects than female subjects. Our study showed that the third molar development can be affected positively by the chronological age of the patient, being developed either in maxilla or mandible, right or left side.

An analysis of third molar mineralization in Brazilian patients with cleft lip and palate.

Purpose: This study investigated the third molar mineralization in patients with cleft lip and palate.Materials and methods: From a total of 253 digital panoramic radiographs from patients with cleft lip and palate within the age range of 7-21 years, 97 radiographs were selected (cleft group). A control group was formed from same sex individuals, without malformation and chronological age matched within 30 days. The analysis of third molar mineralization was carried out by three calibrated examiners using Demirjian's and Nolla's methods. McNemar and Wilcoxon test for paired samples were used for pairwise comparisons between the groups. The Likelihood Ratio test was used to check for an association between the type of cleft and tooth calcification.Results: In both methods, the mineralization means were smaller in the case group than in the control, with significant differences for all third molars (p < .05). The type of cleft affected dental mineralization. There was no significant difference when comparing the left or right sides, but maxillary molars showed earlier mineralization.Conclusions: A significant delay in third molar mineralization was observed in patients with cleft lip and palate according to Demirjian's and Nolla's methods.