Use of the Tooth Coronal Pulp Index for Recognition of the Pubertal Growth Period.

AIM: The present study aimed to investigate the association between the tooth coronal index (TCI) and the pubertal growth stages (PGS) for children and adolescents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed using retrospectively collected panoramic and hand-wrist radiographs of 262 individuals (125 males, 137 females). The coronal height (CH) and the coronal pulp cavity height (CPCH) of the left mandibular teeth were measured. Then the TCI for which was calculated according to Ikeda et al (1985). The estimated TCI for individuals with the following PGS after Fishman (1987) are: SMI 4 (S), SMI 5 (DP3 cap), SMI 6 (MP3 cap) and SMI 7 (Mp5 cap). The associations between the TCI and the PGS were investigated by correlation coefficient of Spearman's rho, and the validity values for the PGS were computed.

RESULTS: Significant correlations were noted between the simple TCI values for premolars and molars and the PGS, and the highest correlation was for the summed TCI for both first and second molars. Utilizing the validity values of the summed TCI for both first and second mandibular molars, the PGS can be predicted as follows: S stage when TCI is 49.17 or lesser, DP3cap stage when TCI is 43.52 or lesser, MP3cap stage when TCI is 36.73 or lesser, and Mp5cap stage when TCI is 26.84 or lesser.

CONCLUSION: The TCI values declined along with the maturational process in children and adolescents. The TCI for both first and second molars was the best predictor of the PGS.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Panoramic photographs can be beneficial for prediction of the skeletal maturity and treatment planning without resorting to hand-wrist radiographs.