The Becker Method: A Straightforward Method for Accurate Dental Age Assessment in the Clinical Setting

Background: Accurate dental age (DA) assessment is important in the clinical decision-making process of pediatric dentists and orthodontists. While clinical methods based on tooth emergence are inaccurate, techniques using tooth calcification for assessing DA are more precise but impractical for clinical use due to their complexity. Becker proposed a more straightforward and practical method for accurate DA assessment based on root apex closure. However, its level of accuracy has not been determined. Aim: To evaluate the reliability of the Becker method by comparing it to the Demirjian method. Design: This cross-sectional study analyzed panoramic radiographs from a cohort of 377 Israeli children and adolescents aged between 8 and 15 years. DA was evaluated using the Demirjian and Becker methods and compared with the chronological age (CA) of each participant. Results: Both methods overestimated DA when compared to CA, with the Becker method showing a closer agreement with CA. The average overestimation of Becker method was 0.659 years for females and 0.123 years for males, and of Demirjian method 1.167 and 0.713 years, respectively. Conclusions: The Becker method can provide clinicians with a user-friendly, hands-on diagnostic tool, ensuring ease of application in clinical settings without compromising on precision or reproducibility.