Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / A number of dental age estimation methods have been developed over the years ranging from the frequently used age estimation of Demirjian et al (1973) and Moorrees et al (1965) to the less frequently used age estimation methods of Haavikko (1970) and Nolla (1960). Different dental age estimation methods have been used with variable success. These were developed using mainly children of Central and Northern European descent and white North Americans. The results of the above-mentioned dental age estimation methods, when used on South African children, show that the need for adaptation of these methods exists. Phillips has thus developed a dental age estimation table for Nguni children of South Africa, to assist in correcting this discrepancy. OBJECTIVE: To establish if the Phillips dental age estimation developed for Nguni children of South Africa is applicable to children in the region of Mpumalanga. METHOD: Cross sectional study using a stratified random sampling method involving 100 panoramic radiographs of black children up to the age of 14 years, in the region of Mpumalanga. CONCLUSION: This study will determine if Phillips dental age estimation tables developed for South African Nguni children is applicable and accurate in estimating the age of black Mpumalanga children.

Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / Background: Dental age is an indicator of the physiological maturity of growing children. Different methods for estimating the dental age in comparison to the chronological age were proposed in the literature. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of two methods i.e. the Phillips and Proffit methods in estimating the dental age in a sample of South African children at the Tygerberg dental faculty. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted by randomly selecting 100 panoramic radiographs with known chronological age. The sample contained an equal number of girls and boys (50 in each group) and the chronological age ranged between 6 and 11 years. Dental age for each radiograph was estimated using the Phillips and the Proffit methods respectively. The mean difference between dental and chronological age was calculated. Dental and chronological ages were compared using overall bias and random errors. Results: The results showed that for the girls’ sample, the Phillips method underestimated the age by 4 months which is statistically significant (p-value =0.03). The Proffit method underestimated the age by 2 days which is not statistically significant (p-value =0.97). Both methods however have the same frequency of random errors. For the boys’ sample, Phillips’ method underestimated the age by 6 months which is statistically significant (p-value <0.0001). Proffit’s method underestimated the age by 2 months which is not statistically significant (p-value= 0.15). The Phillips method was shown to have fewer random errors in boys. Discussion: The above mentioned results showed that for dental age estimation for girls, Proffit’s method would be more appropriate. This rationale is explained by the conclusion that it only underestimates the age by 2 days and has the same frequency of random errors as Phillips’ method. However, if one had to choose between the two methods for boys, the situation should be evaluated carefully. For boys, the Phillips method has fewer random errors but a larger overall bias (6 months) whereas Proffit’s method has more random errors but less overall bias (2 months). The choice between the two methods should therefore depend on the purpose of the estimation. If the method is used for estimating the age in a single individual with an unknown chronological age, Phillips’ method would be more preferable. However, if the method is used for age estimation in populations with a known mean chronological age, Proffit is preferred. Conclusion: Proffit’s description for dental development has been shown to be accurate in estimating the DA. It may therefore be considered to be a legitimate DA estimation method and not just a developmental description for the dentition.

The age estimation method as described by Demirjian is the most frequently used tool to estimate the sub-adult dental age in forensic dentistry. This technique has been shown to over or under estimate the chronological age of sub-adults when applied to specific population groups. The aim of this study was to compare a black South African population sample with the original French-Canadian model to determine if Demirjian’s method accurately reflects the true chronological age of this population group. A sample of panoramic radiographs from 279 boys and 325 girls between the ages of 6 and 16 was obtained from the School of Dentistry University of Pretoria, and from orthodontists in private practice in the Pretoria region. The panoramic radiographs were used to score the seven left mandibular teeth. The calculated maturity score was used to determine the Demirjian dental age. All panoramic radiographs were scored by one examiner. A subset of 20 panoramic radiographs was scored by a second examiner and reliability tested using a Wilcoxon Matched Pairs Test. This research showed that black South African children have a more advanced dental age compared to French-Canadian children. Demirjian overestimated the age for boys by 0.8 years and for girls by 0.5 years. The dental age assessment provided by Demirjian is not suitable for black South African children. As a result, new standards of dental age assessment should be established for this population. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc(Odont))--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Oral Pathology and Oral Biology / unrestricted

Though applied in bioarchaeology, dental wear is an underexplored age indicator in the biological anthropology of contemporary populations, although research has been conducted on dental attrition in forensic contexts (Kim et al. 2000, Prince et al. 2008, Yun et al. 2007). The purpose of this study is to apply and adapt existing techniques for age estimation based on dental wear to a modern American population, with the aim of producing accurate age range estimates for individuals from an industrialized context. Methodologies following Yun and Prince were applied to a random sample from the University of New Mexico (n=583) and Universidade de Coimbra (n=50) cast and skeletal collections. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between tooth wear scores and age. Application of both Yun et al. (2007) and Prince et al. (2008) methodologies resulted in inaccurate age estimates. Recalibrated sectioning points correctly classified individuals as over or under 50 years for 88% of the sample. Linear regression demonstrated 60% of age estimates fell within ±10 years of the actual age, and accuracy improved for individuals under 45 years, with 74% of predictions within ±10 years. This study demonstrates that age estimation from dental wear is possible for modern populations, with comparable age intervals to other established methods. It provides a quantifiable method of seriation into “older” and “younger” adult categories, and is a more reliable method than cranial sutures in instances where only the skull is available. / 2019-07-11T00:00:00Z

Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) (Community Oral Health) / The aim of this study was to establish whether there is any association between developing maxillary canine ectopia and various other dental anomalies using panoramic radiographs in the mixed dentition stage of development.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Age estimation of the skeletal remains of children can be accomplished by examination of the ossification centres and the fusion of the epiphyseal plates of long bones. Dental age estimation is done by examining the eruption of the deciduous and permanent teeth. Both these methods are inaccurate and are subject to the nutritional status of the individual. A more accurate method of age estimation is by the examination of radiographic images of the developmental stages of the tooth crown and root formation. Two methods of dental age estimation used are those of Moorrees, Fanning and Hunt (1963) (MFH) and that of Demirjian, Goldstein and Tanner (1973) (DGT). These methods were tested on a sample of 913 Tygerberg dental patients; a random mixture of Caucasoid and Khoisanoid children. The MFH method under-estimated the ages of the sample by an average of 0.91 years and the DGT method over-estimated the ages by an average of 0.89 years. Samples of Indian and Negroid children from Kwa-Zulu Natal were tested in a similar manner and the results showed similar under and over-estimation of the ages by these methods. The Negroid children were labelled the Zulu sample. Correction factors were derived for the MFH and DGT methods of dental age estimation when used on Tygerberg, Indian and Zulu children. These correction factors were tested on the samples and found to improve the accuracy of the age estimation methods of MFH and DGT significantly.A second sample group of Tygerberg, Indian and Zulu children were then tested firstly using the standard method of MFH and DGT and the using the correction factors. The results showed that the correction factors improved the age estimation on these samples except in the case of the DGT method on Zulu children. A sample of Xhosa speaking children were added to the two Zulu samples and made an Nguni sample. The Tygerberg samples were combined as were the Indian samples to form data bases for the construction of dental age related tables for Tygerberg, Indian and Nguni children. These tables show that there are distinct differences in the ages at which the teeth develop in the different sample groups and that dental age related tables are necessary for children of different population origins. Statistical analysis of the age related tables from this study (Phillips Tables) show these tables are more accurate in the age estimation of South African children.

Yes / Assessing and interpreting dental and skeletal age-related changes in both the living and the dead is of interest to a wide range of disciplines (e.g. see Bittles and Collins 1986) including human biology, paediatrics, public health, palaeodemography, archaeology, palaeontology, human evolution, forensic anthropology and legal medicine. ... This special issue of Annals of Human Biology arises from the 55th annual symposium of the Society for the Study of Human Biology in association with the British Association for Biological Anthropological and Osteoarchaeology held in Oxford, UK, from 9–11 December 2014. Only a selection of the presentations are included here which encompass some of the major recent advances in age estimation from the dentition and skeleton.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Southern California, 1996. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Southern California, 1996. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Background In the Western-Cape province, orthodontic treatment provided to government patients is limited to tertiary hospitals such as the Tygerberg Oral Health Centre (TOHC). This results in growing waiting lists which place a huge strain on resources of the facility. Objectives To determine: 1. The prevalence of malocclusion among 7-to-10-year-old children examined at dental clinics within the Tygerberg sub-district. 2. The types of malocclusion they present with. 3. Which of these malocclusions can be treated with interceptive orthodontic treatment. Methods An analytical, descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out and quantitative methods were used to achieve the aim and objectives. The study sample consisted of 100 children, 46 male and 54 female, from Bellville and Bishop Lavis dental clinics. Dental examinations were done by one examiner on children between the ages of 7 and 10 years. Dental problems were identified which, if left untreated, could result in the need for more complex orthodontic treatment at a later stage. All the necessary ethical clearance was obtained. Results The results showed that there is a very large interceptive orthodontic treatment need (79%) at these clinics. A large proportion (70%) presented with detrimental habits. Thumbsucking was more prevalent among girls than boys. Other problems like mouthbreathing, lip wedging, deep bite, asymmetrical mobility of primary teeth, rotated lateral incisors and crossbites were found. The biggest concern was that 71% of the children had early loss of primary teeth and only 5% of children received restorations, resulting in a high prevalence of unfavourable molar relationships. All of these should be addressed early, thereby preventing the development of complex orthodontic problems or skeletal discrepancies. iv Conclusion Interceptive and preventive orthodontic treatment should be regarded as a primary health centre service, as it may reduce the need for costly fixed orthodontic treatment. The study showed that urgent intervention is necessary from the Department of Health to address this issue.