Determination of Dental Age Using Pediatric Panoramic Radiographs by Fifth-Year Dental Students Before and After Training: A Cross-Sectional Study

Year 2025, Volume: 3 Issue: 2, 27 - 31, 31.08.2025

Fatma Büşra Doğan , Elif Gülşah Yıldırım , Ahmet Bilal Tumaç

https://doi.org/10.62243/edr.1696109

https://izlik.org/JA69HL68JL

Abstract

Aim Dental age is a parameter frequently used by dentists as a potential determinant of skeletal maturation. When creating endodontic, orthodontic, restorative or surgical treatment plans in pediatric patient groups, age is also taken into consideration in addition to dental status. The aim of this study is to increase the awareness and knowledge level of dentistry students in both knowing the developmental stages of teeth and in the accurate estimation of dental age determination.
Material and method In this study, panoramic radiographs of 35 patients between the ages of 4-13 were evaluated. Dental ages of the images were calculated and recorded by an oral and maxillofacial radiologist using Demirjian and William calculation methods. Fifth grade students were informed about the study and 35 students who agreed to participate voluntarily were asked to estimate dental age using their existing knowledge. After the presentation, which included specific examples on this subject, the students were asked to repeat their dental age estimates.
Results No statistical difference was found between the dental age estimates made by the students before and after the training and the dental ages determined and recorded at the beginning (p>0.05). However, it was determined that the error margin in dental age estimation of students after the training was statistically lower (p=0.016).
Conclusion As a result, the knowledge level of the students in the study group on the subject increased and awareness was created. It was also seen that the education given with case examples was more effective.

Keywords

Age estimation , Dental education , Dentistry , Panoramic radiography , Radiology

Supporting Institution

2209-A TÜBİTAK

Project Number

1919B012224401

References

• Patel, P. S., Chaudhary, A. R., Dudhia, B. B., Bhatia, P. V., Soni, N. C., & Jani, Y. V. (2015). Accuracy of two dental and one skeletal age estimation methods in 6-16 year old Gujarati children. Journal of Forensic Dental Sciences, 7(1), 18.
• Espinoza-Silva, P. V., López-Lázaro, S., & Fonseca, G. M. (2023). Forensic odontology and dental age estimation research: A scoping review a decade after the NAS report on strengthening forensic science. Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, 19(2), 224–235.
• Yadav, V., Loomba, A., & Autar, R. (2017). A comparative evaluation of dental calcification stages and skeletal maturity indicators in North-Indian children. National Journal of Maxillofacial Surgery, 8(1), 26.
• Turhal, R. I., Önem, E., & Tuğsel, Z. (2021). Ege Bölgesinde yaşayan çocukların yaş tayininde Williems ve Demirjian yöntemlerinin karşılaştırılması. Ege Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi Dergisi, 42(3), 199–204.
• Yaşar, Z. F., Büken, E., & Tekindal, M. A. (2016). Demirjian metodu farklı ülkelerde yaş tayininde kullanılabilir mi? Adli Tıp Bülteni, 21(3), 144–152.
• Lopes, L. J., Nascimento, H. A. R., Lima, G. P., Dos Santos, L. A. N., de Paula Queluz, D., & Freitas, D. Q. (2018). Dental age assessment: Which is the most applicable method? Forensic Science International, 284, 97–100.
• Watanabe, P. C. A., Faria, V., Camargo, A., & Dos Santos, M. (2017). Multiple radiographic analysis (systemic disease): Dental panoramic radiography. Journal of Oral Health and Dental Care, 1(1), 007.
• Arslan, Z. B., Yıldız, D. B., & Yaşar, F. (2019). Dental anomali görülme sıklığının dijital panoramik radyografi ile değerlendirilmesi. Selçuk Dental Journal, 6(3), 359–365.
• Çarıkçıoğlu, B., & Sezer, B. (2022). Dental age estimation with fewer than mandibular seven teeth: An accuracy study of Bedek models in Turkish children. Clinical Oral Investigations, 26(9), 5773–5784.
• Esan, T. A., Yengopal, V., & Schepartz, L. A. (2017). The Demirjian versus the Willems method for dental age estimation in different populations: A meta-analysis of published studies. PLOS ONE, 12(11), e0186682.
• Maber, M., Liversidge, H., & Hector, M. (2006). Accuracy of age estimation of radiographic methods using developing teeth. Forensic Science International, 159(Suppl 1), S68–S73.
• Donni, S., Haslinda, R., Phrabhakaran, N., & Aspalilah, A. (2018). Dental age estimation: A review. Journal of Dental and Maxillofacial Research, 1, 1–3.
• Panchbhai, A. (2011). Dental radiographic indicators, a key to age estimation. Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, 40(4), 199–212.
• Tunç, E. S., & Koyuturk, A. E. (2008). Dental age assessment using Demirjian's method on northern Turkish children. Forensic Science International, 175(1), 23–26.
• Anamali, S., Pendleton, C., Xie, X. J., Smith, A., & Jain, A. (2022). Training in radiographic caries detection and staging using an interactive tool. European Journal of Dental Education, 26(4), 728–732.
• Parikh, N., Risinger, D., Holland, J. N., Molony, D. A., & van der Hoeven, D. (2022). Evaluating dental students’ perspectives on the concurrent teaching of didactic and case-based courses. Journal of Dental Education, 86(12), 1643–1652.
• Moule, A., & Cohenca, N. (2016). Emergency assessment and treatment planning for traumatic dental injuries. Australian Dental Journal, 61(Suppl 1), 21–38.
• Aminabadi, N. A., Oskouei, S. G., & Farahani, R. M. Z. (2009). Dental treatment duration as an indicator of the behavior of 3-to 9-year-old pediatric patients in clinical dental settings. Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice, 10(5), 23–32.