Estimation of Age for Sudanese Adults Using Orthopantomographs

Abstract

The assessment of dental age is useful in the planning of orthodontic treatment, in pediatric dentistry and forensic medicine. The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of dental morphology (length and width) in the assessment of the age compared to chronological age as well as to evaluate the applicability of dental age in forensic sciences. The study was obtained in Mursi Medical Center from the period of January to August 2011. The OPGs of 99 Sudanese individuals of both gender and known chronological age, ranging from 15 to 30 years, were selected with respect to criteria diagnosed as normal individuals .The pulp –root length ,root length, pulp/root ratio , total tooth length ,crown length of the mandibular canine were measured in mm using computer and the estimated age was recorded using the Indian equation .Patients were classified into three groups ,A was of age <20 years old ,B was of 20 to 27 and C was of age >27. Radiographs were evaluated by two independent observers .From the results the estimated age in A and C groups were correlated well with the chronological age in both genders and no significant difference was detected, but in B group there is a significant difference, as well as a difference between males and females measurements. The Indian formula for mandibular canine measurements can be applied to predict the dental age significantly in ages < 20and > 27 ,but it can just estimate the dental age as average readings for ages between 20 to 27, and cannot give the exact age for this group of age.