Dental Maturity in Saudi Children Using the Demirjian Method: A Comparative Study and New Prediction Models

A sample of 422 dental panoramic radiographs from individuals of known age (from 4 to 14 yrs), sex (males: 217, females: 205), and ethnicity (Saudi) was collected. A dental maturation score for each individual was calculated using the Demirjian method. Age was then estimated using the original Demirjian curves and tables based on French-Canadian population and population-specific curves and tables for Arab (Saudi and Kuwaiti) and European (Belgian) populations. The differences between dental age and chronological age were analyzed and compared using paired t-tests, one-way ANOVA test, and a post hoc Scheffé's test. The Demirjian method utilizing French-Canadian standards presented significant difference between dental age and chronological age for the total sample and in the vast majority of age groups in both sexes. The mean overestimation of age was about 10 months (P < 0.05). The tables designed specifically for Arab populations had a significantly lower error than the tables designed for French-Canadian and Belgian populations. The latter had the largest error in age predication. New age prediction models and maturation scores for Saudi population were developed based on the Demirjian method using multinomial functions.