Cilj: Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je provjeriti točnost Haavikko metode za određivanje dentalne dobi kod hrvatske djece. Pretpostavka ovog istraživanja je da se dentalna dob određena Haavikko metodom neće bitno razlikovati u odnosu na kronološku dob. Materijali i metode: Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku hrvatske djece dobne skupine od 6 do 15 godina. Nasumičnim odabirom izabrano je 400 ortopantomograma: 200 ortopantomograma djece ženskog spola i 200 ortopantomograma djece muškog spola. Korišteni su ortopantomogrami iz arhiva Odjela za maksilofacijalnu kirurgiju Kliničkog bolničkog centra u Splitu. Isključeni su svi ortopantomogrami osoba sa evidentiranim razvojnim anomalijama, sindromima i stanjima koje utječu na razvoj trajnih zuba, potom one snimke pacijenata sa hipodoncijom trajnih zuba i sa izvađenim trajnim zubima. Rezultati: Srednja vrijednost rezultata je iznosila 0,69 i 0,71 za ponovljene unutar-istraživačke i među-istraživačke postupke procjene razvojnih stadija za postupak po Chailletu. Srednja dentalna dob u cjelokupnom uzorku nije statistički značajno podbacivala dentalnu dob u odnosu na kronološku u dječaka, -0,11 ± 0,81 godina (p=0,069), dok je razlika za djevojčice bila -0,45 ± 0,84 godine što je bilo statistički značajno (p <0,001). Prema dobnim skupinama dentalna dob je podbacivala u odnosu na kronološku dob, a prebačaj dobi je nađen kod dječaka u dobi od 6, 10, 11 i 12 godina i kod djevojčica u dobi od 6 i 11 godina. Razlike dentalne od kronološke dobi od preko godinu dana su pronađene kod djevojčica u dobi od 13 godina i u 14-godišnjaka oba spola. Zaključak: Rezultati su pokazali da metoda po Haavikko prosječno podbacuje dentalnu dob manje od 6 mjeseci kod djece ispitane u ovom istraživanju, osim u djevojčica od 13 godina i oba spola sa 14 godina. Stoga, Haavikko metoda je prikladna za djecu ispod 13 godina.

Aim: The aim of this study was to verify the ability and accuracy of application of Haavikko method for determination of dental age of Croatian children. The assumption was that the dental age determined by Haavikko method will match the chronological age. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on a sample of Croatian children aged between 6 and 15 years. 400 panoramic radiographs were randomly selected: 200 panoramic radiographs were of female children and 200 were of male children. Panoramic radiographs which were used are stored at the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery of Clinical Hospital Center in Split. Panoramic radiographs of children with registered developmental anomalies and syndromes or conditions that affect the development of permanent teeth and those of patients with hypodontia of permanent teeth and extracted permanent teeth were excluded from the analysis. Results: Middle value of the results was 0,69 and 0,71 for repeated in-research and inter-research methods of assessing the developmental stages of the process by Chaillet, which, according to Altman (16) is very well. Middle value for dental age in the entire sample is not statistically and significantly underperforming dental age compared to chronological age. The difference for boys was -0.11 ± 0.81 years (p = 0.069), while the difference for girls was -0.45 ± 0.84 years as this was statistically significant (p <0.001). According to the age group, dental age is mostly underperforming compared to chronological age, while age overthrown was found in 6, 10, 11 and 12 years old boys and among 6 and 11 years old girls. The differences of dental age and chronological age of over one year were found among the girls that are 13 years old and among 14 year old members of both sexes. Conclusion: The results showed that, on average, Haavikko method falls short of dental age up to 6 months among children tested in this research, except among girls of 13 years of age and among members of both sexes at 14 years of age. This method should not be used in these age groups and it should be used for determing dental age of children under the age of 13 years.