A retrospective comparison of dental and skeletal ages between African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic subjects

OBJECTIVE: To compare dental and skeletal ages among African American (AA), Caucasian (C) and Hispanic (H) subjects (chronological ages 9 to 15-years). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 168 subjects (9 to 15 years old) were equally divided into AA, C, and H groups, with an equal number of males and females. Each group was divided equally into 7 chronological age-groups, ranging from 9 to 15 years. Dental age was determined from panoramic radiographs as primary, early mixed, late mixed, or permanent dentition (scored as 1-4). Skeletal age was calculated from hand-wrist radiographs using Fishman's Skeletal Maturation Index (SMI 1-11). One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's test were used to compare skeletal and dental ages among AA, C and H subjects; and AA, C and H subjects in each chronological age-group. The two-sample t-test was used to compare SMI and dental age among females and males. RESULTS: Skeletal and dental age were not significantly different between AA, C and H subjects. Mean SMI was higher in females than males; and there were no significant gender differences regarding dental age. Mean SMI and dental age were significantly different among AA, C and H subjects in the 12-year-old and 11-year-old age groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Dental and skeletal maturation are fairly similar among AA, C and H subjects (aged 9 to 15 years).