Can a Regression Equation Developed from the Measurement of a Single Mandibular Canine be used for Dental Age Estimation?

Developed regression equation and Dental age estimation??

Abstract

Background: Radiographic method of dental age estimation allows the clinician to monitor the full range of development of the tooth. The use of single tooth could reduce the complexity of dental age prediction

Objective: To develop and test the validity of a regression model for dental age estimation using a single mandibular canine tooth

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 93 participants (56 males and 37 females) aged 5 to 18 years recruited from a tertiary health care facility in the North-Central region of Nigeria over 10 months. Linear measurements of the width of the open apex and the tooth length of a single mandibular canine were done on a digital peri-apical radiograph using the Carestream digital software. Linear regression was used to generate the regression model using the pulp width-tooth length ratio of a single mandibular canine and gender as predictive factors. Paired t-test was used to compare the chronological age and the predicted dental age. The level of significance was set at p<0.05.

Results: Gender and pulp-width/tooth length ratio significantly explained 62.2% (R²=0.622) of the variation in the chronological age (p<0.001). The median of the residuals was -0.116 years with an interquartile range IQR of 1.36 years. On average, the regression model showed that predicted dental age was significantly overestimated among females (p=0.007) but not in males (p=0.735).

Conclusion: The regression model generated in this present study could serve as a guide for predicting chronological age among Nigerian children and adolescents.