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Validation of Roberts’ method using root canal width patterns as a mandibular maturity marker in determining the 18-year threshold

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Abstract

The South African Bill of Rights and the Children’s Act define a ‘child’ as a person under the age of 18 years. The age of 18 years is therefore significant for legal purposes in South Africa. The third molar is an important indicator in determining the 18-year threshold. Human biological growth markers are accepted indicators of a subject attaining the age of 18 years. A recent study by Roberts et al. suggested that the relative width of the distal root canals (RCW) of the lower left permanent molars (Fédération Dentaire Internationale notation 36, 37 and 38) as visualised on dental panoramic radiographs can be used as such a growth marker. This study aimed to validate this human biological growth marker in both black and white populations living in South Africa according to Roberts’ method. The findings of this validation study were in agreement with this method which showed that individuals with Demirjian stage H left molars and category RCW-C were indeed over the 18-year threshold. Important aspects regarding the rationality and application of Roberts’ method are discussed. The authors conclude that this method should not be used in isolation but as an adjunct with other age estimation methods.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the statistical assistance of Mrs Joyce Jordaan from the Department of Statistics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, PO Box 1266, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

    Christy L. Davidson, Chané Nel, Herman Bernitz & André Uys

  2. Department of Statistics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Paul J. van Staden

Authors
  1. Christy L. Davidson
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  2. Chané Nel
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  3. Herman Bernitz
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  4. Paul J. van Staden
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  5. André Uys
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study, conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Christy Davidson, Chané Nel, André Uys, Herman Bernitz and Paul van Staden. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Christy Davidson, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Christy L. Davidson.

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This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee, Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Pretoria. Protocol number 215/2018.

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Davidson, C.L., Nel, C., Bernitz, H. et al. Validation of Roberts’ method using root canal width patterns as a mandibular maturity marker in determining the 18-year threshold. Int J Legal Med 135, 1565–1572 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-021-02527-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-021-02527-w

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