Accuracy of Dental Calcification Stages in Predicting the Peak Pubertal Stage of Females

This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of dental calcification stages in predicting the peak pubertal stage.

This retrospective study was conducted on panoramic and lateral cephalometric images of 406 female patients aged 9-14 years. The skeletal maturity and calcification stages of the mandibular canines, first premolars, second premolars, and second molars were determined using the Hassel-Farman and Demirjian (DI) methods, respectively. The prediction accuracy of the peak pubertal stage with the studied teeth was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic curve and the area under the curve (AUC). The DI stage of H was designated as the reference level, and Bayesian logistic regression analysis was used to assess the coinciding chance of each DI stage and peak pubertal stage.

The AUC range of studied teeth was 0.84-0.92 in predicting peak pubertal stage (all p<0.001). In the canines and first premolars, the coinciding chance of peak pubertal stage and stage H was significantly higher than that in other stages [p<0.05, odds ratio (OR) ≤0.14]. In the second premolars and second molars, the chance of peak pubertal stage coinciding with stages H and G did not significantly differ (p>0.05); however, the chance of stage G coinciding with peak pubertal stage in the second molars was higher than in stage H (OR=4.59).

Stage H in all studied teeth and stage G in the second premolars and second molars predict peak pubertal stage with high accuracy. Considering that stage H is the end of tooth calcification stages and the accuracy of predicting stage G of second molar teeth is higher than the above stage, estimating the peak pubertal stage is recommended by the second case.