Tooth agenesis and dental development in a Spanish population: a retrospective cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background. The purpose of this retrospective cross-sectional study conducted in a Spanish population, was to determine whether dental development is delayed in paediatric patients with agenesis. The comparative analysis of the average difference between chronological and dental age was carried out to assess the validity of maturation tables for the Spanish population. The study examined the potential influence of the following variables: sex, number of agenesis, location of the agenesis.

Results. The study analysed a total of 114 panoramic radiographs, from children aged 5 to 16 years, with a mean age of 9.4 years (+/- 2.5 SD). The case group included 53 radiographs (26 boys and 27 girls with agenesis); the control group included 61 panoramic radiographs (27 boys and 34 girls without agenesis). Dental age was assessed applying Demirjian’s method and specific maturation tables for the Spanish population. The mean age estimated using the Demirjian method for the Spanish population was lower than the chronological age of the sample in all groups (mean dental age: 9.054, mean chronological age: 9,354). The difference between chronological and dental age in the global sample was significantly delayed. The global difference was 0.3 years (0.2852 years in the girls group and 0.3151 years in the boys group respectively).

Conclusions. Dental development in the studied sample representing Spanish population, is notably more delayed in children with agenesis, particularly among girls, despite earlier development. Dental development occurred earlier than expected. Dental development was studied using Demirjian’s method with conversion tables for the Spanish population. Imprecise data was obtained in patients with agenesis as chronological age did not correspond to dental age. However chronological and dental age difference was minimal in patients without agenesis, determining the validity of the maturation tables for the Spanish population in this group of patients. Ultimately, the study concluded that later dental development of children with agenesis is influenced by gender, number of agenesis and location (posterior, lower).