Secular changes in dental development of Korean children aged 4 to 16 years over a 10-year period

This study evaluated 10-year secular changes in dental maturity and dental development among Korean children. A retrospective analysis of panoramic radiograph samples from Korean children (4–16 years old) taken in 2010 and 2020 was conducted. The 2010 group consisted of 3491 radiographs (1970 boys and 1521 girls), and the 2020 group included 5133 radiographs (2825 boys and 2308 girls). Using Demirjian’s method, dental maturity scores and dental developmental stages were assessed. For intra-observer reliability, Weighted Cohen’s kappa was used, and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to compare the 2020 and 2010 groups. A slight acceleration in dental maturity was observed in both boys and girls, with the difference being more noticeable in boys at an earlier age. Statistically significant differences were noted at ages 4, 5 and 7 for boys, and at age 6 for girls. Despite these differences, the individual dental development stages of 2020 and 2010 showed inconsistent trends with limited differences. Generally, girls demonstrate more advanced dental maturity than boys. A slight acceleration in Korean children’s dental maturity was observed over a 10-year period when comparing the 2020 groups to the 2010 groups.

Dental maturity; Dental development; Forensic odontology; Secular change

[1] Hägg U, Matsson L. Dental maturity as an indicator of chronological age: the accuracy and precision of three methods. The European Journal of Orthodontics. 1985; 7: 25–34.

[2] Kurita LM, Menezes AV, Casanova MS, Haiter-Neto F. Dental maturity as an indicator of chronological age: radiographic assessment of dental age in a Brazilian population. Journal of Applied Oral Science. 2007; 15: 99–104.

[3] Ogodescu AE, Ogodescu A, Szabo K, Tudor A, Bratu E. Dental maturity—a biologic indicator of chronological age: digital radiographic study to assess dental age in Romanian children. Internatioanl Journal of Biology and Biomedical Engineering. 2011; 5: 32–40.

[4] Beunen GP, Rogol AD, Malina RM. Indicators of biological maturation and secular changes in biological maturation. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. 2006; 27: S244–S256.

[5] Liversidge HM. The assessment and interpretation of Demirjian, Goldstein and Tanner’s dental maturity. Annals of Human Biology. 2012; 39: 412–431.

[6] Priyadarshini C, Puranik MP, Uma SR. Dental age estimation methods—a review. International Journal of Advanced Health Sciences. 2015; 1: 19–25.

[7] Merdietio Boedi R, Mânica S, Franco A. Sixty years of research in dental age estimation: a bibliometric study. Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences. 2023; 13: 41.

[8] Demirjian A, Goldstein H, Tanner JM. A new system of dental age assessment. Human Biology. 1973; 45: 211–227.

[9] Garn SM, Lewis AB, Kerewsky RS. Genetic, nutritional, and maturational correlates of dental development. Journal of Dental Research. 1965; 44: 228–242.

[10] Pelsmaekers B, Loos R, Carels C, Derom C, Vlietinck R. The genetic contribution to dental maturation. Journal of Dental Research. 1997; 76: 1337–1340.

[11] Chaillet N, Nyström M, Demirjian A. Comparison of dental maturity in children of different ethnic origins: international maturity curves for clinicians. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 2005; 50: 1164–1174.

[12] Leurs IH, Wattel E, Aartman IH, Etty E, Prahl-Andersen B. Dental age in Dutch children. European Journal of Orthodontics. 2005; 27: 309–314.

[13] Chaillet N, Willems G, Demirjian A. Dental maturity in Belgian children using Demirjian’s method and polynomial functions: new standard curves for forensic and clinical use. Journal of Forensic Odontostomatology. 2004; 22: 18–27.

[14] Kaygisiz E, Uzuner FD, Yeniay A, Darendeliler N. Secular trend in the maturation of permanent teeth in a sample of Turkish children over the past 30 years. Forensic Science International. 2016; 259: 155–160.

[15] Sasso A, Špalj S, Mady Maričić B, Sasso A, Ćabov T, Legović M. Secular trend in the development of permanent teeth in a population of Istria and the littoral region of Croatia. Journal of Forensic Sciences. 2013; 58: 673–677.

[16] Holtgrave EA, Kretschmer R, Muller R. Acceleration in dental development: fact or fiction. The European Journal of Orthodontics. 1997; 19: 703–710.

[17] Jayaraman J, Wong HM, King N, Roberts G. Secular trends in the maturation of permanent teeth in 5 to 6 years old children. American Journal of Human Biology. 2013; 25: 329–334.

[18] Tanner JM. Growth as a measure of the nutritional and hygienic status of a population. Hormone Research. 1992; 38: 106–115.

[19] Tanner JM. Growth as a mirror of the condition of society: secular trends and class distinctions. Pediatrics International. 1987; 29: 96–103.

[20] Cole TJ. The secular trend in human physical growth: a biological view. Economics & Human Biology. 2003; 1: 161–168.

[21] Kim JH, Yun S, Hwang S, Shim JO, Chae HW, Lee YJ, et al. The 2017 Korean national growth charts for children and adolescents: development, improvement, and prospects. Korean Journal of Pediatrics. 2018; 61: 135–149.

[22] Kwon E, Nah E. Secular trends in height, weight and obesity among Korean children and adolescents in 2006–2015. Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion. 2016; 33: 1–13.

[23] Hauspie R, Vercauteren M, Susanne C. Secular changes in growth and maturation: an update. Acta Paediatrica. 1997; 86: 20–27.

[24] Godina EZ. The secular trend: history and prospects. Human Physiology. 2009; 35: 770–776.

[25] Hauspie RC, Vercauteren M, Susanne C. Secular changes in growth. Hormone Research. 1996; 45: 8–17.

[26] Fudvoye J, Parent A. Secular trends in growth. Annales d’Endocrinologie. 2017; 78: 88–91.

[27] Cardoso HF, Heuzé Y, Júlio P. Secular change in the timing of dental root maturation in Portuguese boys and girls. American Journal of Human Biology. 2010; 22: 791–800.

[28] Logan WH, Kronfeld R. Development of the human jaws and surrounding structures from birth to the age of fifteen years. The Journal of the American Dental Association (1922). 1933; 20: 379–428.

[29] Demirjian A, Levesque G. Sexual differences in dental development and prediction of emergence. Journal of Dental Research. 1980; 59: 1110–1122.

[30] Kuremoto K, Okawa R, Matayoshi S, Kokomoto K, Nakano K. Estimation of dental age based on the developmental stages of permanent teeth in Japanese children and adolescents. Scientific Reports. 2022; 12: 3345.

[31] Demirjian A. Dental development: a measure of physical maturity. Human Physical Growth and Maturation. 1980; 88: 83–100.

[32] Park MJ, Lee I, Shin E, Joung H, Cho S. The timing of sexual maturation and secular trends of menarchial age in Korean adolescents. Korean Journal of Pediatrics. 2006; 49: 610–616.

[33] Birchler FA, Kiliaridis S, Combescure C, Julku J, Pirttiniemi PM, Vazquez L. Dental age assessment on panoramic radiographs: Comparison between two generations of young Finnish subjects. Journal of International Medical Research. 2019; 47: 311–324.

[34] Liversidge HM. Dental age revisited. Technique and Application in Dental Anthropology. 2008; 66: 234–252.