Age estimation using the London Atlas in a Thai population

Abstract

Dental development and eruption charts are widely used to evaluate chronological age and physical maturity, especially in children and adolescents. The objective of this study was to test the accuracy of the London Atlas dental age estimation method in Thai samples. This study consisted of digital panoramic radiographs of Thai individuals (n = 396) aged between 7 and 15 years (198 males and 198 females). The accuracy of age estimation using the London Atlas method was evaluated on the pooled and split sex sample using digital panoramic dental radiographs. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the dental age and the chronological age for pooled sex group (p = 0.115). The mean error values were −0.19 years in males, 0.33 years in females, and 0.07 years for the pooled sample. Moreover, the mean absolute error values were 0.71 years in males, 0.67 years in females, and 0.69 years for the pooled sample. In conclusion, the London Atlas method has potential for application for age estimation in a Thai population.