Dental age assessment in Caucasian subjects with third molar agenesis

Abstract

Background: Delayed dental development has been linked with tooth agenesis. Research aimed at dental age estimation in subjects with third molar agenesis has been minimal. Objectives: To investigate the association between dental stage of development and third molar agenesis. Materials and methods: A total of 700 orthopantomograms (OPTs) were obtained for this study. The age of the subjects ranged from 10 to 16 years (13.66 ± 1.50 years). The subjects were divided into two groups of which group 1 consisted of 350 patients (175 females and 175 males) with third molar agenesis and group 2 (control group) had all third molars present. The control group matched the study group for gender and chronological age (CA). Dental age (DA) was estimated from the OPTs using the Demirjian method for all included subjects. Results: The mean CA and DA in the third molar agenesis group were 13.81 ± 1.60 years and 13.72 ± 1.65 years, respectively (p > 0.05). The mean CA and DA in the control group were 13.51 ± 1.38 years and 14.50 ± 1.12 years, respectively (t = 18.25, p > 0.000). CA-DA difference between the two groups was highly significant (t = 12.43, p > 0.000). Gender differences were not detected. Furthermore, no differences were noted in dental age compared with chronological age in cases of unilateral versus bilateral third molar agenesis or in one jaw versus two jaws (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Dental development was delayed in subjects with third molar agenesis but the delay in dental age was not affected by the severity or site of agenesis.