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

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

Methods: 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.

Results: 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).

Conclusion: 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.