QUADRANT-SPECIFIC ERUPTION PATTERN AND ODONTOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PERMANENT CANINES AMONG SOUTH INDIAN SCHOOLGIRLS AGED 9–13 YEARS

Abstract

Introduction: Among all permanent teeth, canines hold particular forensic significance owing to their strong crown morphology, resistance to destruction, late eruption, and lifelong retention. Clinical assessment of canine eruption status is a reliable and radiation-free method of estimating age during the mixed dentition stage. Since there is variation in the eruption of canine teeth among different populations and sexes, the present study was designed to evaluate the eruption pattern, stages of eruption, and morphological and odontometric features of permanent canine teeth among 9-13 year-old South Indian schoolgirls Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 600 school-going girls from Kozhikode district of Kerala. Equal numbers of girls were divided into four age groups: 9-10 years, 10-11 years, 11-12 years, and 12-13 years. Each group consisted of 150 school-going girls. Clinical dental examination was performed during school hours using a dental mirror and torch. The status of permanent canine eruption was noted for all four quadrants. Canine morphology was classified into incisor-like, regular canine, and premolar-like types. Mesiodistal width, cervicoincisal height, and intercanine width were measured using a vernier caliper. Chi-square test and descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results: Mandibular canines erupted earlier than maxillary canines, with the right mandibular canine being the earliest, at 3.3% of 9–10 years of age and 82.0% of 10–11 years of age. At 11–12 years of age, the eruption of the right lower canine was nearly complete (97.3%), whereas the left lower canine erupted at 92.7%. The right maxillary canine erupted last among the four teeth, at 35.3% of 12–13 years of age. Typical canine morphology was more common among younger female individuals, and there was a gradual progression towards incisor-like and then premolar-like morphology with increasing age. Dimensions of odontometric features showed a gradual increase, and cervico-incisal length approached mesiodistal length at ages 12-13 years. Conclusion: Permanent canine eruption among South Indian schoolgirls exhibits a specific pattern along the quadrants, along with specific age-related morphological and odontometric changes. These results provide sex-specific reference values for improving the accuracy of age estimation and have further implications for bite mark analysis.