Search

The aim of this work is to study a sample of girls from 15 different countries using Third Molar Maturity Index (I3M), to assess the probability that a girl has reached the legal age of 18 years. The studied sample consisted of 3228 Orthopantomograms of healthy female subjects from 15 different countries. The cutoff value of I3M = 0.08 was tested to discriminate adults (=18 years) and minors (<18 years). X-ray images were processed by computer-aided drafting program ImageJ. The information on sensitivity and specificity of I3M coming from the 15 countries was pooled together using a bivariate Bayesian modeling approach. Specificity of the I3M test did not change when the country was considered, and its value remains greater than 85% for each studied country. This method is useful to estimate the age of the girls involved in suspected early marriage because of the high probability of correctly identifying a minor with similar results observed among tested populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The legal age of adulthood in Japan become 18 years old in the future. • The study tested for discriminating minors and adults of Japanese. • The cut-off value of third molar maturity index (I 3M) = 0.08 was applied. • The values of sensitivity and specificity showed high level. • I 3M is capable of discriminating adults and minors in Japanese. To evaluate the cut-off value of third molar maturity index (I 3M) = 0.08 for discriminating minors from adults in Japanese population. 276 panoramic radiographs of healthy Japanese subjects (139 girls and 137 boys) age range from 14 to 24 years were evaluated. ICC (Intra-class correlation coefficient) for intra-rater and inter-rater agreement of I 3M was 99.6% (95% CI 98.6–99.9%) and 98.9% (95% CI 98.8–99.9%) respectively. The proportion of correctly classified in girls was 87% (95% CI 81–93%) and in boys was 91% (95% CI 87–96%). The sensitivity of the test in girls and boys was 84% (95% CI 77–92%) and 89% (95% CI 83–95%) respectively and specificity was 93% (95% CI 85–100%) and 96% (95% CI 90–100%) in girls and in boys. The PPV (Positive Predictive Value) was 87% (95% CI 69–95%) in girls and 92% (95% CI 74–98%) in boys. The results of the study show that I 3M is capable of discriminating adults and minors in subjects around legal age of 18 years old in Japanese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]