Maxillary first molar wear: a longitudinal study of children

Area of Science:

• Forensic odontology
• Pediatric dentistry
• Dental anthropology

Background:

• Tooth wear is a complex process influenced by various factors.
• Accurate age estimation in children is crucial for legal and clinical purposes.
• Quantitative analysis of tooth wear can provide insights into developmental and environmental influences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between chronological age and maxillary first molar tooth wear in children.
• To develop a regression model for age estimation based on quantitative wear measurements.
• To assess the reliability of different wear measurement parameters.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 150 maxillary dental models from 30 children aged 6-14 years.
• Quantitative measurement of maxillary first molar wear using area, volume, and buccal occlusal plane to central pit height (BCPH).
• Statistical analysis including correlation, regression, and ANOVA to determine relationships between age and wear parameters.

Main Results:

• Significant positive correlations were found between age and tooth wear (area and volume).
• Wear measurements increased significantly with age across different offset-plane heights.
• A regression equation (Age = 0.16 × 0.4V + 0.85) was derived for age estimation using molar volume (R²=0.490).

Conclusions:

• Maxillary first molar wear increases quantitatively with age in children.
• Quantitative wear analysis, particularly molar volume, shows potential for reliable age estimation in pediatric populations.
• The developed regression model provides a basis for forensic and clinical age assessment in children.