Evaluación tridimensional del grado de mineralización del tercer molar en tomografías dentales en Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Abstract

Introduction: Third molars exhibit a range of position, maturation, and volume while individuals are in stages of growth and development. Objective: To three-dimensionally evaluate the degree of mineralization of the third molar using dental tomographic images obtained from individuals in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional tomographic study was conducted using computed dental tomographies. A total of 150 dental tomographic scans from patients aged 13 to 24 years were reviewed. Results: According to the Demirjian maturation stages, statistically significant differences were observed in chronological age among the classifications of maturation status for each analyzed molar (p-value < 0.001). Conclusion: The mineralization system proposed by Demirjian demonstrates high accuracy in evaluating third molars, from the onset of root formation to apical closure.