A study of dental development in a Caucasian population compared with a non-Caucasian population

AIM: The aim of the present investigation was to compare dental development in children from a non-Caucasian population (Saudi Arabia) with age- and gender-matched children from a Caucasian population (Australia). STUDY DESIGN: Randomised study comparing two population groups using a common set of standards. METHODS: Dental ages of 842 Australian and 456 Saudi Arabian children were assessed from orthopantomograms (OPGs) using the method of Demirjian and co-workers. The children were divided into male and female groups of 5–6, 7–8, 9–10, 11–12, and 13–14 year-olds, and the dental age of each child compared to that the corresponding calendar age group. RESULTS: In both Australian and Saudi Arabian children, the dental ages were higher than the corresponding calendar ages. The largest difference between calendar and dental ages (1.10±0.80 years, p