Reliability of demirjian's and willems method in estimating dental age in Puducherry and Cuddalore population, South India Reddy JRC1, Sivasankari T2,*, Kumar S1, Priya RS3, Yazhini M3 1Professor and Head, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Indira Gandhi Institute of Dental Sciences, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Puducherry 2Reader, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Indira Gandhi Institute of Dental Sciences, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Puducherry 3Postgraduate, Department of Forensic Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Puducherry *Corresponding Author, Dr. Siva Sankari T, Email: sankarisenthil1984@gmail.com, Mobile No. : +91-9443877381
Online Published on 2 January, 2024. Abstract Age estimation plays an important role in the field of forensic sciences. The Dental age estimation methods were different in different populations. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of determining the dental age by Demirjian methods and Willems method and comparing it with chronological age estimation. The study comprised 660 Digital Panoramic radiographs of which 228 were male and 373 were female with the age ranged from 6 to 17 years. The OPGs were used as samples to evaluate the accuracy of Demirjian's 7 teeth 1976 method, Demirjian's 8 teeth 2004 method, and Willem's method in estimating the dental age. Three different dental ages were obtained and a comparison with the chronological age of the patient was performed. The best method was evaluated by Descriptive statistics and Pearson Correlation Coefficient. The results found that Demirjian's 7 teeth 1976 method overestimated the Chronological age by 2.12 years, Willems method overestimated it by 0.59 years and Demirjian's 8 teeth method underestimated the chronological age by 0.25 years. Pearson Correlation Coefficient analysis revealed that Demirjian's 8 teeth 2004 is the most accurate method employed in dental age estimation. This study concludes by stating that the accuracy and reliability of dental age estimation and the interrelationship between the chronological age and dental age in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry population is best with Demirjian's 8 teeth method and Willems method, while Demirjian's 7 teeth method has failed to estimate the dental age in this population. Top Keywords Chronological age, Demirjian's method, Dental age, Forensic odontology, Willems method. Top |