ESTIMATION OF CHRONOLOGICAL AGE, DENTAL AGE AND SKELETAL MATURITY USING ORTHOPANTOMOGRAPHY AND LATERAL CEPHALOGRAMS

Abstract

The patient’s age is one of the most important factors influencing the planning of orthodontic therapy. In some patients, there is a discrepancy between chronological age, dental age and skeletal maturity, which can affect the outcome of orthodontic therapy. The aim of this work was to determine the correlation between chronological age, dental age and skeletal maturity in subjects of both sexes using orthopantomographic and lateral cephalometric images. For the purpose of this study, orthopantomographic and lateral cephalometric images of 315 orthodontic patients aged 8 to 18 years were used. Dental age was determined on orthopantomographic images using the Demirjian method, while skeletal maturity was determined on lateral cephalometric images by observing the second, third and fourth cervical vertebrae. The results of the study showed an extremely strong, positive and statistically significant correlation between dental and chronological age in both sexes (rs = 0.870, N = 315, p < 0.05), with the correlation being stronger in females (rs = 0.869). A positive, extremely strong and statistically significant correlation was also found between dental age and the CVM stage of the subjects (rs = 0.684, N = 315, p < 0.05). A statistically significant difference was found in the average dental age between the most of the CVM stages of the subjects (p < 0.05). Statistically significant differences in dental maturity were not recorded only between the 1st and 2nd CVM stages, as well as between the 3rd and 4th CVM stages. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that there is a strong positive correlation between chronological age, dental maturity and skeletal maturity in subjects of both sexes. The correlation between dental maturity and chronological age was slightly stronger in females than in males.