Assessment of the relationship between body mass index, dental age, chronological age, and skeletal maturity among 6-12-year children in Pune, India.

Abstract

Context: Growth and development in children are influenced by various factors, including genetic, environmental, and nutritional aspects. Assessing a child's development is critical for pediatric care, particularly in understanding their dental, skeletal, and chronological maturity. While dental age and skeletal maturity are established indicators of growth, the role of body mass index (BMI) in these developmental parameters requires further exploration.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the relationship between BMI, dental age, chronological age, and skeletal maturity in children aged 6-12 years in Pune, India.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 250 panoramic radiographs from 128 boys to 122 girls. Dental age was assessed using the Demirjian method, while skeletal maturity was evaluated using the cervical vertebrae maturity method. BMI was calculated following World Health Organization guidelines for the Asian population. Statistical analyses, including Pearson's correlation and the unpaired t-test, were performed to evaluate associations between the variables.

Results: A significant positive correlation was found between dental age and chronological age (R = 0.897 for girls, R = 0.882 for boys) and dental age and skeletal maturity (R = 0.738 for girls, R = 0.715 for boys). A moderate positive correlation was observed between BMI and dental age (R = 0.613 for girls, R = 0.463 for boys) and chronological age (R = 0.602 for girls, R = 0.456 for boys).

Conclusions: Dental age is a reliable marker for chronological age, and skeletal maturation aligns closely with chronological age. While BMI appears to be weakly correlated with skeletal and dental growth, further research is necessary to fully understand its impact.