Association of Body Mass Index with Dental Maturation in Children Aged 7 ‒ 13

This retrospective study examined the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and dental maturation in Korean children and adolescents. A total of 649 participants aged 7 – 13 were included in the study. Dental age (DA) was evaluated using panoramic radiographs via the Willems method, and BMI z-scores standardized for age and sex were calculated based on the 2017 Korean National Growth Chart. Differences between dental and chronological ages (DA – CA) was compared among the BMI groups, and correlation and multivariable regression analyses were conducted. The overweight/obese group demonstrated significantly greater DA – CA values than the normal-weight and underweight groups (p < 0.0001). No significant differences were found between the underweight and normal-weight groups. BMI was positively correlated with DA – CA (ρ = 0.346, p < 0.0001). The regression analysis confirmed that BMI was independently associated with dental maturation after adjusting for age, and a significant BMI × age interaction indicated that the effect of BMI was more pronounced in older children. These findings indicate that higher BMI is associated with relatively advanced dental maturation in an age-dependent manner. BMI z-scores may serve as supplementary indicators for DA assessment and orthodontic treatment planning, although further longitudinal studies are warranted to establish causality.