| Peer-Reviewed

Estimation of the Chronological Age by Demirjian’s Method Among Children in Cotonou

Received: 17 January 2022     Accepted: 18 February 2022     Published: 28 February 2022
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

In Benin, violations of child rights are common. Age estimation is a question referred for a preliminary ruling before the courts which have jurisdiction over major offenses and crimes committed against children’s rights. The age estimation methods based on dental maturity and development are widely used. However, they require local validation. This research work aimed to test the applicability of Demirjian’s standards among children living in the city of Cotonou. This study uses a randomized sample of 563 orthopantomograms of children aged 3 to 17 years performed in Cotonou. Dental age has been estimated based on Demirjian’s standards. The reproducibility and repeatability of the method have been assessed. The differences between civil age and dental age as well as their correlation were tested. We noticed good repeatability (Kappa=0.89) and good reproducibility (Kappa =0.85) of the method. In boys of all age groups, the average difference between civil age and dental age was estimated at 0.68 years (CI95%; -0.87 to -0.49); among girls, that difference was estimated at 1.07 years (CI95%; 0.83 to 1.32). The correlation between dental age and civil age was high (R=0.89). A linear regression equation has been established to address the overestimation gap. According to our findings the Demirjian method may be used in Cotonou in a forensic context with one correction factor.

Published in International Journal of Medical Imaging (Volume 10, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijmi.20221001.12
Page(s) 5-9
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Dental Age, Demirjian’s Method, Children, Dental Maturity, Forensic Odontology

References
[1] Berkvens ME, Fairgrieve SI, Keenan S. A comparison of techniques in age estimation using the third molar. Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal 2017; 50 (2): 74–83.
[2] Pinchi V, Focardi M, Pradella F, Grifoni R, Palandri M, Norelli GA. Day to day issues in the forensic identification practice related to illegal immigration in Italy. J Forensic Odontostomatol 2017; 2 (35): 157–65.
[3] Olivieri L, Mazzarelli D, Bertoglio B, De Angelis D, Previderè C, Grignani P, et al. Challenges in the identification of dead migrants in the Mediterranean: The case study of the Lampedusa shipwreck of October 3rd 2013. Forensic Science International 2018; 285: 121–8.
[4] Schmeling A, Dettmeyer R, Rudolf E, Vieth V, Geserick G. Forensic Age Estimation: Methods, Certainty, and the Law. Deutsches Aerzteblatt 2016 https://www.aerzteblatt.de/10.3238/arztebl.2016.0044
[5] Adovoekpe J, Bigot CE, Yayi A, Adjibode O, Agbobli Y. Frequency and procedure of management of unidentified corpses admitted to the mortuary of the hubert koutoukou maga university teaching hospital of cotonou. IP International Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicological Sciences 2018; 3 (3): 66–8.
[6] National Institute of statistics and economic analyse. Benin Population structure. 1st ed. Cotonou: Nouvelles presse industrie graphique; 2017. p39.
[7] Demirjian A, Goldstein H, Tanner JM. A new system of dental age assesment. Human Biology 1973; 45 (2): 211–27.
[8] Berndt CD, Despotovic T, Mund MT, Filippi A. Curent role of forensic detistry un age assessment. Revue mensuelles suisse d’Odontostomatologie 2008; 118 (11): 1081–8.
[9] Manjunatha BS, Soni NishitK. Estimation of age from development and eruption of teeth. Journal of Forensic Dental Sciences 2014; 6 (2): 73.
[10] Saifeddin AS, Siti Noor MM, Mohd Fadhili K. The Accuracy of Demirjian Method in Dental Age Estimation of Malay Children. Singapore dental Journal 2011; 32 (1): 19–22.
[11] Davis PJ, Hägg U. The accuracy and precision of the “Demirjian system” when used for age determination in Chinese children. Swed Dent J 1994; 18 (3): 113–6.
[12] Frucht S, Schnegelsberg C, Schulte-Mönting J, Rose E, Jonas I. Dental age in southwest Germany. A radiographic study. J Orofac Orthop 2000; 61 (5): 318–29.
[13] Al Balushi S, Thomson WM, Al-Harthi L. Dental age estimation of Omani children using Demirjian’s method. The Saudi Dental Journal 2018; 30 (3): 208–13.
[14] Maber M, Liversidge HM, Hector MP. Accuracy of age estimation of radiographic methods using developing teeth. Forensic Science International 2006; 159: S68–73.
[15] Birchler FA, Kiliaridis S, Combescure C, Vazquez L. Dental age assessment on panoramic radiographs in a Swiss population: a validation study of two prediction models. Dentomaxillofacial Radiology 2016; 45 (1): 20150137.
[16] Kouassi AJF, Sonan NK, Soumahoro S, Kouadio KJ, Djaha K. Maturation dentaire et détermination de l’âge chronologique chez les Ivoiriennes. La Revue de Médecine Légale 2018; 9 (2): 57–60.
[17] Ngom PI, Faye M, Ndoye Ndiaye F, Diagne F, Yam AA. Applicability of standard of Demirjian’s method for dental maturation in Senegalese children. Dakar Med 2007; 52 (3): 196–203.
[18] Dhamo B, Kragt L, Grgic O, Vucic S, Medina-Gomez C, Rivadeneira F, et al. Ancestry and dental development: A geographic and genetic perspective. Am J Phys Anthropol 2018; 165 (2): 299–308.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Cedric Egnonwa Bigot, Sonia Bignon Adjadohoun, David Djossou, Nicole Enianloko-Tchiakpe, Sylvie Arlette Bancole Pognon, et al. (2022). Estimation of the Chronological Age by Demirjian’s Method Among Children in Cotonou. International Journal of Medical Imaging, 10(1), 5-9. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmi.20221001.12

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Cedric Egnonwa Bigot; Sonia Bignon Adjadohoun; David Djossou; Nicole Enianloko-Tchiakpe; Sylvie Arlette Bancole Pognon, et al. Estimation of the Chronological Age by Demirjian’s Method Among Children in Cotonou. Int. J. Med. Imaging 2022, 10(1), 5-9. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmi.20221001.12

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Cedric Egnonwa Bigot, Sonia Bignon Adjadohoun, David Djossou, Nicole Enianloko-Tchiakpe, Sylvie Arlette Bancole Pognon, et al. Estimation of the Chronological Age by Demirjian’s Method Among Children in Cotonou. Int J Med Imaging. 2022;10(1):5-9. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmi.20221001.12

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ijmi.20221001.12,
      author = {Cedric Egnonwa Bigot and Sonia Bignon Adjadohoun and David Djossou and Nicole Enianloko-Tchiakpe and Sylvie Arlette Bancole Pognon and Savi de Tove Koffi-Mensa},
      title = {Estimation of the Chronological Age by Demirjian’s Method Among Children in Cotonou},
      journal = {International Journal of Medical Imaging},
      volume = {10},
      number = {1},
      pages = {5-9},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijmi.20221001.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmi.20221001.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmi.20221001.12},
      abstract = {In Benin, violations of child rights are common. Age estimation is a question referred for a preliminary ruling before the courts which have jurisdiction over major offenses and crimes committed against children’s rights. The age estimation methods based on dental maturity and development are widely used. However, they require local validation. This research work aimed to test the applicability of Demirjian’s standards among children living in the city of Cotonou. This study uses a randomized sample of 563 orthopantomograms of children aged 3 to 17 years performed in Cotonou. Dental age has been estimated based on Demirjian’s standards. The reproducibility and repeatability of the method have been assessed. The differences between civil age and dental age as well as their correlation were tested. We noticed good repeatability (Kappa=0.89) and good reproducibility (Kappa =0.85) of the method. In boys of all age groups, the average difference between civil age and dental age was estimated at 0.68 years (CI95%; -0.87 to -0.49); among girls, that difference was estimated at 1.07 years (CI95%; 0.83 to 1.32). The correlation between dental age and civil age was high (R=0.89). A linear regression equation has been established to address the overestimation gap. According to our findings the Demirjian method may be used in Cotonou in a forensic context with one correction factor.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Estimation of the Chronological Age by Demirjian’s Method Among Children in Cotonou
    AU  - Cedric Egnonwa Bigot
    AU  - Sonia Bignon Adjadohoun
    AU  - David Djossou
    AU  - Nicole Enianloko-Tchiakpe
    AU  - Sylvie Arlette Bancole Pognon
    AU  - Savi de Tove Koffi-Mensa
    Y1  - 2022/02/28
    PY  - 2022
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmi.20221001.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmi.20221001.12
    T2  - International Journal of Medical Imaging
    JF  - International Journal of Medical Imaging
    JO  - International Journal of Medical Imaging
    SP  - 5
    EP  - 9
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-832X
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmi.20221001.12
    AB  - In Benin, violations of child rights are common. Age estimation is a question referred for a preliminary ruling before the courts which have jurisdiction over major offenses and crimes committed against children’s rights. The age estimation methods based on dental maturity and development are widely used. However, they require local validation. This research work aimed to test the applicability of Demirjian’s standards among children living in the city of Cotonou. This study uses a randomized sample of 563 orthopantomograms of children aged 3 to 17 years performed in Cotonou. Dental age has been estimated based on Demirjian’s standards. The reproducibility and repeatability of the method have been assessed. The differences between civil age and dental age as well as their correlation were tested. We noticed good repeatability (Kappa=0.89) and good reproducibility (Kappa =0.85) of the method. In boys of all age groups, the average difference between civil age and dental age was estimated at 0.68 years (CI95%; -0.87 to -0.49); among girls, that difference was estimated at 1.07 years (CI95%; 0.83 to 1.32). The correlation between dental age and civil age was high (R=0.89). A linear regression equation has been established to address the overestimation gap. According to our findings the Demirjian method may be used in Cotonou in a forensic context with one correction factor.
    VL  - 10
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of Medicine, Faculty of Heath Science, University of Abomey Calavi, Cotonou, Benin

  • Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Heath Science, University of Abomey Calavi, Cotonou, Benin

  • Department of Stomatology, Faculty of Heath Science, University of Abomey Calavi, Cotonou, Benin

  • Department of Pediatry, Faculty of Heath Science, University of Abomey Calavi, Cotonou, Benin

  • Department of Stomatology, Faculty of Heath Science, University of Abomey Calavi, Cotonou, Benin

  • Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Parakou, Parakou, Benin

  • Sections