Application of Kvaal’s Method for Dental Age Estimation Using CBCT

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of CBCT in dental age estimation using Kvaal’s method and to derive the regression equation for prediction of age of the individual.
Methods: CBCT images of 200 individuals with the age ranging from 18-58 years, who reported to the radiology department for routine CBCT investigation were included. The images were taken under the parameters 85 kVp, 7 mA with the exposure time for 5.1 seconds, the voxel size of 400µ and the field of view (FOV) of 8×8 cms and the images were read in DICOM format. Total of 9 measurements were made from each included teeth (maxillary central incisor, lateral incisor, second premolar and mandibular lateral incisor, canine and first premolar) and 10 ratios were derived from the measurements.Using the ratios M and W-L as two predictors the regression was derived.
Results: Maxillary lateral incisor was found to be a better predictor of age with a SEE(Standard Error of Estimate) of 7.16 years. When the regression equation was derived separately for each age group like 18-28 years, 29-38 years, 39-48 years, 49-58 years; the SEE was between 2-3 years.
Conclusions: The SEE obtained using CBCT was almost similar to two dimensional imaging modalities but a very significant result was obtained when a separate regression formula was derived for each age range.