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A new model of classification of third molars development and its correlation with chronological age in a Brazilian subpopulation

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Abstract

The present study correlated the mineralization of third molars to chronological age using a modified classification based on Demirjian’s stages in a Brazilian subpopulation and compared with the original classification. A total of 1082 patients with age ranging from 6 to 26 years were included in the sample, with at least one third molar on panoramic radiographs. The third molars were classified according to the original Demirjian classification (8 stages) and a new model based on the Demirjian method, where the original stages were grouped into four stages: AB—enamel mineralization; CD—crown dentin mineralization; EFG—root formation; and H—complete development. Statistical analyses were performed by Kruskal-Wallis/Dunn tests (α = 0.05) and the multinomial logistic regression model. Data were analyzed according to percentiles for the probability of an individual being over 18 years old. The mean ages of the stages in both classifications did not present a significant difference between superior and inferior arches (p < 0.05). The differences in mean ages between all the stages of mineralization were statistically significant (p < 0.001) only for the 4-stage classification. Males attained root formation and complete formation earlier than females (p < 0.05) in the 4-stage classification. The modified classification system showed dependence between chronological age and mineralization stages of third molars, simplifying the age estimation process. At stage H, females present a 95.7% chance of being over 18, while for males, this probability is 89.6%. This modified classification system simplifies the dental age estimation process based on third molars and can be used as a reference for future studies.

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Availability of data and material

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral Diagnosis, Division of Oral Radiology, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), P.O. BOX 52, Piracicaba, SP, 13414-903, Brazil

    Hugo Gaêta-Araujo, N. Oliveira-Santos, E. H. L. Nascimento, F. Nogueira-Reis & F. C. Groppo

  2. Department of Clinical and Preventive Dentistry, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE, Brazil

    E. H. L. Nascimento

  3. Division of Oral Radiology, Faculdade São Leopoldo Mandic, Instituto de Pesquisas São Leopoldo Mandic, Campinas, SP, Brazil

    A. C. Oenning

  4. Department of Physiological Sciences, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Piracicaba, SP, Brazil

    F. C. Groppo

  5. Department of Stomatology, Public Oral Health and Forensic Dentistry, Division of Oral Radiology, School of Dentistry of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo (USP), Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil

    C. Oliveira-Santos

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  1. Hugo Gaêta-Araujo
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  2. N. Oliveira-Santos
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  3. E. H. L. Nascimento
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Hugo Gaêta-Araujo, Nicolly Oliveira-Santos, Eduarda Helena Leandro Nascimento, and Fernanda Nogueira-Reis. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Hugo Gaêta-Araujo, Nicolly Oliveira-Santos, Eduarda Helena Leandro Nascimento, and Fernanda Nogueira-Reis and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Hugo Gaêta-Araujo.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study was approved by the ethics committee of Piracicaba Dental School (No. 89724318.2.0000.5418).

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Gaêta-Araujo, H., Oliveira-Santos, N., Nascimento, E.H.L. et al. A new model of classification of third molars development and its correlation with chronological age in a Brazilian subpopulation. Int J Legal Med 135, 639–648 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-020-02401-1

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