Applicability of Demirjian’s four methods and Willems method for age estimation in a sample of Turkish children

• We performed a radiographic study on age estimation by using five dental methods.
• Demirjian’s 4-teeth and Willems methods were initially tested in Turkish children.
• The most accurate method was Willems followed by Demirjian’s 4 and 7-teeth methods.
• Willems method showed 0.07 and 0.15 years overestimation for boys and girls.
• Willems method can be used for forensic applications in Turkish children.

The aim of this study was to evaluate applicability of five dental methods including Demirjian’s original, revised, four teeth, and alternate four teeth methods and Willems method for age estimation in a sample of Turkish children. Panoramic radiographs of 799 children (412 females, 387 males) aged between 2.20 and 15.99 years were examined by two observers. A repeated measures ANOVA was performed to compare dental methods among gender and age groups. All of the five methods overestimated the chronological age on the average. Among these, Willems method was found to be the most accurate method, which showed 0.07 and 0.15 years overestimation for males and females, respectively. It was followed by Demirjian’s four teeth methods, revised and original methods. According to the results, Willems method can be recommended for dental age estimation of Turkish children in forensic applications.