The influence of jaw innervation on the dental maturation pattern in the mandible.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the relationship between mandibular dental maturation and the pattern of jaw innervation.

SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: The sample included 365 panoramic radiographs taken in the period 1965-1969 in a Danish municipality.

DESIGN

For assessing dental maturity, the seven left mandibular teeth (M2, M1, P2, P1, C, I2, I1) were given a dental maturity score according to a method introduced by Demirjian. Spearman correlation coefficients between the maturity score of an index tooth (one of each teeth) and the maturity score of the 6 other teeth was calculated and illustrated.

RESULTS

All the correlation coefficients were larger than 0.5 indicating a rather high level of association between the development of mandibular teeth in the same individual. Thus, associations between the pattern of dental maturation and jaw innervation were not obvious.

CONCLUSION

When the correlation between the dental maturity stages was analysed, no significant relation was found between dental maturation and jaw innervation in the mandible. This is interesting considering the results presented in a recent study, which showed that the clinical observed tooth eruption was closely related to the pattern of jaw innervation. Those authors suggested that the factors influencing the eruption might be associated with jaw innervation. In our study, the stepwise dental maturation process, however, is not equally associated with jaw innervation.