# Applicability of Moorrees, Fanning, and Hunt Method for Age Estimation in Gandhinagar, India: An Orthopantomogram (OPG)-Based Retrospective Study

## TL;DR

This study evaluates how well the Moorrees, Fanning, and Hunt method estimates age in children from Gandhinagar, India, using dental development from X-rays.

## Contribution

The study assesses the accuracy of the MFH method for age estimation in a specific Indian population and finds it consistently underestimates dental age.

## Key findings

- The MFH method underestimates dental age compared to chronological age in both male and female children in Gandhinagar.
- There is a strong positive correlation between dental age and chronological age for both genders.
- Female children show slightly earlier dental maturation patterns compared to males.

## Abstract

Background: Age estimation is crucial for human identification in forensic investigations and humanitarian efforts. Tooth development provides one of the most accurate ways to determine age, showing remarkable consistency regardless of external conditions. The Moorrees, Fanning, and Hunt (MFH) technique assesses dental growth by examining the formation of crowns, roots, and apex completion. This method has proven reliable through numerous studies spanning different ethnic and geographic groups. Its systematic approach and scientific foundation make it an invaluable tool in modern forensic odontology, enhancing the accuracy of age estimation practices.

Aim: The study aims to evaluate the applicability of the MFH methods to estimate dental age and to compare it with the chronological age of the children in the population of Gandhinagar in the state of Gujarat, India.

Materials and methodology: A retrospective study was carried out to assess the dental age of the patients visiting the Karnavati School of Dentistry, Gandhinagar, for dental check-ups. Panoramic radiographs were obtained from the archives of the database that have been taken from January 2020 till August 2023 for study purposes and were examined to fit into inclusion criteria. The sample included 388 orthopantomograms (OPGs) of children aged two to 12 years. Each child’s tooth was assessed based on developmental stages outlined in the MFH method. Statistical analysis was done using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Simple linear regression was used to formulate a regression model to determine the correlation between chronological age and dental age.

Results: The MFH method consistently underestimated dental age (DA) compared to chronological age (CA) across both genders. Analysis of 388 subjects showed male individuals (n = 233) had a mean DA of 6.822 years versus CA of 7.559 years (underestimation: 0.74 years, p<0.001), while female individuals (n = 155) had a mean DA of 6.337 years versus CA of 7.049 years (underestimation: 0.71 years, p = 0.011). Both genders showed strong positive correlations (male individuals: ρ = 0.974, female individuals: ρ = 0.980) and linear relationships (male slope (b) = 1.026, female slope (b) = 1.029) with chronological age, where female participants demonstrated slightly earlier dental maturation patterns.

Conclusion: The MFH method consistently underestimates dental age when compared to chronological age, indicating that it may lack accuracy in dental age assessment in the Gandhinagar population.