Abstract

Introduction: Besides sexual maturation characteristics, dental, skeletal and chronological age are biological indicators used to determine the overall growth and development. A correlation has been reported among these individual indicators and they may have implications in both dental and medical approaches. The case of a girl aged 5 years and 4 months old with advanced den- tal/bone development in relation to her chronological age is reported. Case report: A 5 year, 4-month-old girl has assisted a dental check-up presenting erupted first permanent molars. The mother reported eruption of mandibular incisors at the age of 4 years and 7 months old. Dental age estimation was done using Demirjian’s method and it was 7 years and 6 months old. Endocrinologist assessment using hand wrist X-ray (carpal bones) determined a bone age of 6 years and 10 months old. In the second medical check-up at the age of 6 years and 1 month old revealed an advanced growing in height (4.3 cm in the last 6 months) and skeletal age of 7 years and 10 months old. The patient is under periodic follow-up to assess the possibility of early development of sexual maturation characteristics. Comments: This medico-dental approach for diagnosis, using an evaluation of advanced dental/bone age in relation to chronological age, seems to be useful to assess the chances of early development of sexual maturation characteristics. However, a long-term follow-up is required to determine the validation of these initial findings.