Development of the third molar in Chileans: A radiographic study on chronological age

This study aimed to evaluate the ages of attainment of the different stages of third molar development in Chileans. We evaluated of 1236 panoramic radiographs of individuals aged between 13 and 26 years. Demirjian's stages of dental development for the upper and lower third molars were recorded in relation to chronological age, and further statistical analysis was performed. The maxillary third molars reached almost all stages of development earlier than the mandibular third molars in both male and female individuals, but with significant differences in the chronological mean ages only at stages F and H for male individuals, and F, G, and H for females. The third molar tended to mature faster in male than in female individuals, but significant differences were found only at stage H for both the maxilla and mandible, and at stages F and G for the mandible. Comparison between the mean ages of Chileans with the mean ages reported previously in a Caucasian North American population showed that the Chilean sample had an earlier maturation of the third molar in stages D to G, up to 2.52 years. The data obtained in this study might be useful for the identification of modern Chilean human remains with incomplete third molar development