| The purpose of this study was to compare the eruption timing of the posterior permanent dentition in Mexican adolescents in reference to the current standards, and to determine if sexual dimorphism is present in the Mexican sample. 257 consecutive records were obtained from a university orthodontic program in Mexico City using established criteria. The eruption of the posterior secondary dentition was recorded for subjects from 8 to 12 years of age, and the data compared statistically to the Caucasian data from a previous study. Significant differences in eruption timing start showing in 8 year old females (p=.044, lower premolars) and 10-year-old males (p=.001, upper bicuspids). For all age groups, the posterior permanent dentition erupts earlier in Mexican patients. For the Mexican sample, evidence of sexual differences in eruption timing was present by age 10, however differences were not statistically significant. Effective diagnosis and treatment planning for patients of Mexican heritage may require assessment at an earlier age. |
