Evaluation of the accuracy of Demirjian's method for dental age estimation in Northern Sudanese children and adolescents

Abstract

A variety of methods have been used worldwide in dental age assessment in the living. However, since dental development varies between populations, population-specific studies are necessary. This study aimed at investigating the accuracy of age estimation using developing teeth from panoramic radiographs according to the method devised by Demirjian and colleagues in a sample of Northern Sudanese children and adolescents (2) Methods: A total sample of 917 X-Rays from patients aged between 6-16 years of age was available, but only 527 were suitable (265 boys, 272 girls). (3) Results: The mean difference between chronological and dental age for Northern Sudanese boys, ranged between (–0.389 to +0.571) while, for the Northern Sudanese girls, the mean difference ranged between (–0.056 to+0.732); (4) Conclusions: The results showed that the Demirjian's method did not accurately predict age in this Northern Sudanese population. Standards were produced to convert the maturity scores calculated by Demirjian's method to a new dental age assessment for Northern-Sudanese population.