Diagnosing the Legal Age of 12 Using Second (I2M) and Third (I3M) Molar Maturation Indices in Brazil

Children and adolescents receive varying levels of support and punishment when experiencing situations that classify them as defendants or victims. Age information is crucial for defining these cases. The objective was to apply the second (I 2M ) and third (I 3M ) molar maturity indices to diagnose the age of 12, and find out the cutoff points capable of generating better predictions among Brazilians. This observational cross-sectional study analyzed panoramic radiographs from the five geographic regions of Brazil. The radiographs were of individuals between 10 and 15 years old, taken between 2013 and 2019. The sample consisted of 125 images of each sex (n = 250), 50 from each geographic region, obtained for the purpose of clinical and/or orthodontic diagnosis and having the mandibular left second and third molars. Data collection followed the I 3M methodology based on the measurements made on the second (I 2M ) and third (I 3M ) molars, using ImageJ ® . The cutoff points found for the I 2M , I 3M , and I 2M × I 3M were 0.554 (AUC, 88.5%; 95% CI, 84.00-93.00), 0.519 (AUC, 77.8%; 95% CI, 76.14-79.46), and 0.699 (AUC, 88.4%; 95% CI, 84.48-92.32), respectively. The cutoffs by I 2M , I 3M , and I 2M × I 3M are sufficiently accurate for practical application and diagnosis of the age of 12 among individuals aged 10 to 15 in Brazil.