A Critical Analysis of the Demirjian and Willems Methods for Estimating Dental Age in Bulgarian Children

There is a scarcity of studies dedicated to the estimation of dental age (da) among children in the local population in Bulgaria. This topic holds considerable importance for clinical orthodontic practice, particularly with regard to early diagnosis and effective treatment planning. Methods used to assess dental age offer high reliability and practical applicability in clinical settings. The Demirjian and Willems methods are among the most widely recognised and used for this purpose. While both demonstrate significant utility, each presents distinct strengths and limitations in the context of dental age estimation. Numerous studies indicate a strong temporal correlation between specific morphological indicators of skeletal maturity marking the onset of puberty and the degree of tooth germ calcification. This correlation facilitates a relatively straightforward estimation of an individual’s growth potential based on dental age. The aim of this study is to critically evaluate and compare the Demirjian and Willems methods using data obtained from 25 Bulgarian children aged 7 to 12 years. In the literature, dental age assessment methods are generally divided into two categories: those suitable from birth to puberty and those applicable from puberty up to 20 years of age. Both the Demirjian and Willems methods are considered appropriate and reliable for the age group examined in this study. Keywords: assessment methods, critical analysis, dental age, children, orthodontics, diagnostics.

Dr Silviya Krasteva
Department of Orthodontics
Faculty of Dental medicine
Medical University – Пловдив
3,“Hristo Botev” Blvd.
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
e-mail: drkrusteva63@gmail.com

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