Prescription of panoramic radiographs in children using age‐based prevalence of dental anomalies and pathologies

Abstract

BackgroundPanoramic radiographs (PRs) are used in the detection and diagnosis of developmental dental anomalies and pathologies (DDAPs) in children.AimThe primary objective of this observational cohort study was to evaluate the age‐based prevalence of DDAP on PRs, whereas the secondary objective was to determine a threshold age for the detection of DDAP to provide supportive evidence for the prescription of PR in paediatric dental practice.DesignThe study examined diagnostic PRs from 581 subjects aged 6 to 19 years. All PRs were reviewed by experienced, calibrated, masked examiners for the identification or presence of anomalies in size, shape, position, structure, and other developmental anomalies and pathologies (ODAP) of the face–neck region in a standardized condition. The data were statistically analyzed for interpretation.ResultsOverall, 74% (n = 411) of the cohort had at least one anomaly (shape anomaly: 12%, number anomaly: 17%, positional anomaly: 28%, structural anomaly: 0%, and ODAP: 63%). The optimal Youden index cutoff for any anomaly was 9 years. Twelve and 15 years also showed predictive ability.ConclusionThe results suggest that PRs should be prescribed at ages 9, 12, and 15 years for the diagnosis of DDAP.

Evaluation of the Prevalence of Dental Anomalies Among Children Through Panoramic Radiographs for Five Years in Ahvaz, Iran

“…In this study, the highest finding was related to the impacted tooth (19.6%), and the lowest finding was related to dilacerations (0.39%) of the tooth root (14). Mohan et al examined 581 panoramic radiographs of American patients with an age range of 6-19 years, and the results showed that 74% of patients had at least one case of DA (15). In the study of 1200 panoramic images of orthodontic patients with an age range of 7 -17 years in Greek people by Pallikaraki et al, the prevalence of DAs was observed in 16.92% of people.…”