Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The influence of impaction to the third molar mineralization in northwestern Chinese population

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Legal Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Age estimation by third molar mineralization has been developed for a period of time. Recent studies showed that impaction status has an influence on the rate of the third molar mineralization in Europids and male Black African populations. In this regard, the present study was conducted to determine whether the impaction status could delay the chronological process of third molar mineralization in northwestern Chinese population too. A total of 3,512 digital orthopantomograms of 1,255 male and 2,257 female northwestern Chinese subjects aged from 11 to 26 years were assessed based on the formation stages described by Demirjian et al. with two modifications. Mineralization stage and impaction status were determined for all third molars. Statistical measures were calculated at stages C–H in the male and female gender for both impacted and non-impacted third molars. It was ascertained that the mean ages with impacted third molars at stages C–H were 0.02–1.42 years higher in males and 0.04–1.52 years higher in females than those with non-impacted third molars, but statistical differences were only found at stages C, D, and E in males and stages D and E in females. The probabilities of being under 14, 16, or 18 years of age with non-impacted third molars were all higher than those with impacted third molars. The results prove that impacted third molars show significant slower mineralization than non-impacted ones at stages D and E in both males and females of northwestern Chinese population. It is recommended to consider the influence of impaction on the rate of third molar mineralization for dental age estimation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Archer WH (1955) Die Chirurgie des Mundes und der Zähne. Medica, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bai Y, Mao J, Zhu S, Wei W (2008) Third-molar development in relation to chronologic age in young adults of central China. J Huazhong Univ Sci Technol Med Sci 28:487–490

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Demirjian A, Goldstein H (1976) New systems for dental maturity based on seven and four teeth. Ann Hum Biol 3:411–421

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Friedrich RE, Ulbricht C, Ljuba ABM (2003) The influence of wisdom tooth impaction on root formation. Ann Anat 185:481–492

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Gleiser I, Hunt EE Jr (1955) The permanent mandibular first molar: its calcification, eruption and decay. Am J Phys Anthropol 13:253–283

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Hattab FN, Rawashdeh MA, Fahmy MS (1995) Impaction status of third molars in Jordanian students. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 79:24–29

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. James M, Lewis DRS (2010) Dental age estimation utilizing third molar development: a review of principles, methods, and population studies used in the United States. Forensic Sci Int 201:79–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Jun L (2005) Investigation on disputed issues about criminal responsibility of criminal minor in China. J Liaoning Univ (Phil Soc Sci) 33:34–39

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kamberos S, Kolokoudias M, Fanourakis I, Merentitis N (1990) Multiple impaction teeth. Clinical and radiological study in patients with three or more impacted teeth. Odontostomatologike proodos 44:275–281

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Knell B, Schmeling A (2010) Einfluss der Retention auf die Weisheitszahnmineralisation. Rechtsmedizin 20:469–474

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Köhler S, Schmelzle R, Loitz C, Püschel K (1994) Die Entwicklung des Weisheitszahnes als Kriterium der Lebensalterbestimmung. Ann Anat 176:339–345

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Kullman L, Johanson G, Akesson L (1992) Root development of the lower third molar and its relation to chronological age. Swed Dent J 16:161–167

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Lauesen SR, Andreasen JO, Gerds TA, Christensen SS, Borum M, Hillerup S (2013) Association between third mandibular molar impaction and degree of root development in adolescents. Angle Orthod 83:3–9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Lengfu Z (2006) On minors’ civil liability ability. J Shangluo Teach Coll 20:59–63

    Google Scholar 

  15. Li G, Ren J, Zhao S, Liu Y, Li N, Wu W, Yuan S, Wang H (2012) Dental age estimation from the developmental stage of the third molars in western Chinese population. Forensic Sci Int 219:158–164

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Meinl A, Tangl S, Huber C, Maurer B, Watzek G (2007) The chronology of third molar mineralization in the Austrian population—a contribution to forensic age estimation. Forensic Sci Int 169:161–167

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Moorrees CF, Fanning EA, Hunt EE Jr (1963) Age variation of formation stages for ten permanent teeth. J Dent Res 42:1490–1502

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Olze A, Bilang D, Schmidt S, Wernecke KD, Geserick G, Schmeling A (2005) Validation of common classification systems for assessing the mineralization of third molars. Int J Legal Med 119:22–26

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Olze A, Otto A, Tsokos M (2012) Einfluss der Retention auf die Retentionsgeschwindigkeit dritter Molaren. Rechtsmedizin 22:110–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Olze A, Schmeling A, Taniguchi M, Maeda H, Van Niekerk P, Wernecke KD, Geserick G (2004) Forensic age estimation in living subjects: the ethnic factor in wisdom tooth mineralization. Int J Legal Med 118:170–173

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Olze A, Taniguchi M, Schmeling A, Zhu BL, Yamada Y, Maeda H, Geserick G (2004) Studies on the chronology of third molar mineralization in a Japanese population. Leg Med (Tokyo) 6:73–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Olze A, van Niekerk P, Schmidt S, Wernecke KD, Rosing FW, Geserick G, Schmeling A (2006) Studies on the progress of third-molar mineralisation in a Black African population. Homo 57:209–217

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Olze A, van Niekerk P, Schulz R, Ribbecke S, Schmeling A (2012) The influence of impaction on the rate of third molar mineralisation in male black Africans. Int J Legal Med 126:869–874

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Orhan K, Ozer L, Orhan AI, Dogan S, Paksoy CS (2007) Radiographic evaluation of third molar development in relation to chronological age among Turkish children and youth. Forensic Sci Int 165:46–51

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Schmeling A, Grundmann C, Fuhrmann A, Kaatsch HJ, Knell B, Ramsthaler F, Reisinger W, Riepert T, Ritz-Timme S, Rosing FW, Rotzscher K, Geserick G (2008) Criteria for age estimation in living individuals. Int J Legal Med 122:457–460

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Svendsen H, Bjork A (1988) Third molar impaction—a consequence of late M3 mineralization and early physical maturity. Eur J Orthod 10:1–12

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Thevissen PW, Fieuws S, Willems G (2010) Human third molars development: comparison of 9 country specific populations. Forensic Sci Int 201:102–105

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Wolf H, Haunfelder D (1960) Zahnärztliche Mundchirurgie für Studierende der Zahnheilkunde. Berlinische Verlagsanstalt, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  29. Zeng DL, Wu ZL, Cui MY (2010) Chronological age estimation of third molar mineralization of Han in southern China. Int J Legal Med 124:119–123

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank Dr. Juan Yin and Dr. Pei-feng Liang for their help with data analysis. This work was supported by the Scientific Research Foundation of Education Ministry and HR Ministry of China for the Returned Overseas Scholars (2008), the Science and Technology Research Program, and International Co-operation Project of Shaanxi (2006 k8-G6) for C.-X. Yan.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Medicine and Forensics, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 76 West Yanta Road, Xi’an, 710061, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Yu-cheng Guo, Chun-xia Yan, Lai Wei, Zheng Tang, Feng Liang & Teng Chen

  2. Key Laboratory of the Health Ministry for Forensic Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University, 76 West Yanta Road, Xi’an, 710061, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Yu-cheng Guo, Chun-xia Yan, Lai Wei, Zheng Tang, Feng Liang & Teng Chen

  3. Key Laboratory of the Education Ministry for Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi’an Jiaotong University, 76 West Yanta Road, Xi’an, 710061, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Yu-cheng Guo, Chun-xia Yan, Lai Wei, Zheng Tang, Feng Liang & Teng Chen

  4. Department of Implantodontics, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 98 West Five Road, Xi’an, 710004, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Xing-wei Lin & Wen-tao Zhang

  5. Department of Orthodontics, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, 98 West Five Road, Xi’an, 710004, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Hong Zhou & Feng Pan

Authors
  1. Yu-cheng Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chun-xia Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xing-wei Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Wen-tao Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hong Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Feng Pan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Lai Wei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Zheng Tang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Feng Liang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Teng Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Chun-xia Yan or Teng Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Guo, Yc., Yan, Cx., Lin, Xw. et al. The influence of impaction to the third molar mineralization in northwestern Chinese population. Int J Legal Med 128, 659–665 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-014-0979-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-014-0979-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation