Effects of nutrition on the estimation of dental age in Argentinian children by radiographic method

Objective: to analyze the influence of the nutritional status on the estimation of the chronological age from radiographs through the degree of dental calcification using the methods of Demirjian et al., Willems et al., Nolla and Haavikko in children of both sexes from Tucuman, Argentina. Methods: 223 children (115 females and 108 males) who assisted to radiological studies previous to dental treatment were selected. Panoramic X-rays were taken. Dental ages were calculated using the corresponding tables of the methods of Demirjian et al., Willems et al., Nolla and Haavikko. Chronological ages were calculated between the date of birth and the date of the study. Children were grouped according to their sex and nutritional status. Results: For normal weight girls, the mean difference between dental and chronological age was: Demirjian et al.: 0.26±0.93; Willems et al: 0.43±0.95; Nolla: -0.31±0.84; Haavikko: -0.13±0.82. For normal weight boys: Demirjian et al.: 0.16±0.77; Willems et al.: 0.20±0.79; Nolla: -0.23±0.65; Haavikko: -0.255±0.73. For overweight girls: Demirjian et al.: 0.53±0.91; Willems et al.: 0.31±0.88; Nolla: -0.44±0.69; Haavikko: 0.09±0.81. For overweight boys: Demirjian et al.: 0.38±0.86; Willems et al.: 0.36±0.80; Nolla: 0.06±0.75; Haavikko: 0.06±0.94. For obese girls: Demirjian et al.: 0.92±0.75; Willems et al.: 0.83±1.37; Nolla: -0.47±0.57; Haavikko: 0.31±0.16. For obese boys: Demirjian et al.: 0.85±0.95; Willems et al.: 0.50±0.94; Nolla: 0.32±0.82; Haavikko: 0.50±0.77. For underweight boys and girls: Demirjian et al.: -0.36±0.82; Willems et al.: -0.25±0.70; Nolla: -0.85±0.87; Haavikko: -0.85±0.92. Conclusion: In normal boys and girls the methods of Demirjian et al. and Willems et al. overestimated the chronological age; those of Nolla and Haavikko underestimated it. In overweight boys and girls, the overestimation (Demirjian et al. and Willems et al.) doubled the chronological age, while in obese boys and girls, both methods tripled it.