Testing the accuracy of Cameriere’s original and European formulae radiographic method of dental age estimation

AIM: To test the accuracy of Cameriere's radiographic method of dental age estimation. METHODS: The sample was 661 archived dental radiographs of dental patients aged 4.0-15.9 years (310 females, 351 males). Dental age was calculated using Cameriere's original formula (Cameriere et al. 2006, Int J Legal Med, 120, 49) and European formula (Cameriere et al. 2007, Int J Legal Med, 121, 449); this measures apex width to tooth length of developing mandibular permanent teeth excluding third molars. The mean difference and absolute mean difference between dental and chronological ages were calculated and assessed using a t-test for females, males, pooled and by year group. RESULTS: For the European formula, mean difference between dental and chronological ages was small for both females and males (0.04 years, SD 0.59 and 0.09 years, SD 0.66 respectively) but was significantly different in males (P < 0.05). Absolute mean difference values were 0.44 years in females and 0.48 years in males. All age categories from 6 to 13 for both sexes had mean difference and absolute mean difference values of less than six months. Age was overestimated by over one year in a large proportion of 4- and 5-year-olds. Mean difference was lower in the European formula (0.07 years) than the original formula (-0.26 years) possibly due to the larger sample size and age range for the European formula. CONCLUSION: Cameriere's method accurately estimates age for most of our sample but may be unsuitable for children younger than 6 years. The European formula is more accurate than the original formula.