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Estimating Age of Majority on Third Molars Developmental Stages in Young Adults from Thailand Using a Modified Scoring Technique *
Author(s) -
Thevissen Patrick W.,
Pittayapat Pisha,
Fieuws Steffen,
Willems Guy
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2008.00961.x
Subject(s) - molar , cohen's kappa , medicine , dentistry , forensic dentistry , orthodontics , kappa , referral , statistics , mathematics , family medicine , geometry
The aim of this study was to achieve a referral database for dental age estimation of unaccompanied minors of Thai nationality. A total of 1199 orthopantomograms were collected from original Thai women and men equally divided in age categories between 15 and 24 years. On the radiographs, the developmental stage of the third molars was scored applying a modified scoring technique. Inter‐ and intra‐observer reliabilities were tested using kappa statistics. Correlation between the scores of all four wisdom teeth and left–right symmetry were evaluated with Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Student’s t ‐test on asymmetry was performed and regression formulas were calculated. The present database was the first to assemble third molar developmental scores on radiographs of Thai individuals and provides more appropriate dental age estimation of unaccompanied Thai minors. Future research on similar databases of different nationalities worldwide may expose ethnical influences on dental development.