EVALUATION OF DENTAL DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN WITH PULPAL INFECTION DUE TO DENTAL CARIES IN IMMATURE PERMANENT FIRST MOLARS

First permanent molars are particularly susceptible to caries. This study aimed to assess the impact of early tooth development on dental caries in children. A total of 220 patients (121 girls, 99 boys) with pulpal infection due to dental caries in immature permanent first molar teeth, aged between 6 and 10.5 years, were considered for inclusion in the study group. A control group of 220 healthy patients with matched age and gender was evaluated. The chronological age of the patients and information about the affected teeth were recorded. Dental ages were calculated using the Demirjian method. The obtained data were statistically analysed using the t-test, Mann Whitney U test, Wilcoxon test, Fisher Freeman Halton test, and Pearson Chi-square test (p<0.05). When comparing the differences between dental age and chronological age (DA-CA) averages between the study and control groups, DA-CA average was 0.16 in control group and 0.68 in study group, with the difference being statistically significant (p<0.001). Early eruption of permanent first molar teeth due to early dental development may increase the risk of decay in these teeth.