Chronological versus dental age in subjects from 5 to 19 years: a comparative study with forensic implications (original) (raw)
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The accuracy of histological assessments of dental development and age at death
Journal of Anatomy, 2006
Histological analyses of dental development have been conducted for several decades despite few studies assessing the accuracy of such methods. Using known-period incremental features, the crown formation time and age at death of five pig-tailed macaques ( Macaca nemestrina ) were estimated with standard histological techniques and compared with known ages. Estimates of age at death ranged from 8.6% underestimations to 15.0% overestimations, with an average 3.5% overestimate and a 7.2% average absolute difference. Several sources of error were identified relating to preparation quality and section obliquity. These results demonstrate that histological analyses of dental development involving counts and measurements of short-and long-period incremental features may yield accurate estimates, particularly in well-prepared material. Values from oblique sections (or most naturally fractured teeth) should be regarded with caution, as obliquity leads to inflated cuspal enamel formation time and underestimated imbricational formation time. Additionally, Shellis's formula for extension rate and crown formation time estimation was tested, which significantly overestimated crown formation time due to underestimated extension rate. It is suggested that Shellis' method should not be applied to teeth with short, rapid periods of development, and further study is necessary to validate this application in other material.
Estimation of child’s biological age based on tooth development
Romanian Journal of Legal Medicine, 2011
Dental development is relatively independent from other systems maturation. Recent studies have reported changes in the timing of tooth development for contemporary children comparing to children that lived more than 30 years ago (secular trend). Detectable variations in the tempo of tooth mineralization and duration of tooth maturation between children from different geographical regions were reported. Dental age is important not only for dental specialists, but also for pediatricians (in the evaluation of growth and development of healthy children, in pediatric endocrinology, in children with different diseases or syndromes) and forensic doctors (in order to estimate the age or to identify the child). The aim of our study was to investigate the regional characteristics of dental maturation in actual Romanian children. We conducted a cross-sectional study on a final sample of 441 radiographs of patients aged between 5.5 and 14.5 years (218 girls and 223 boys). The dental panoramic radiographs were scored by two examiners and intra-and inter-examiner calibration was made. We used a dedicated software for easy scoring, automatic dental age determination and as a database. On average, the Romanian girls showed an overestimation of 0.36 years, meaning 132 days, p=0.129, α = 0.05 and boys an underestimation of 0.04 years, meaning 15 days, p = 0.852, α = 0.05. New tables were developed in order to convert dental maturity calculated according to Demirjian method into dental age of contemporary Romanian children.
Anthropologischer Anzeiger; Bericht über die biologisch-anthropologische Literatur, 2014
The present study aims to compare metrical and morphological features of skeletal and dental development in two skeletons of very young infants from different archeological sites in Syria with the results of the microscopic approach of age-at-death estimation based on the neonatal line (NNL). Here, the presence ofa NNL is used as an indicator of birth survival and the duration of the lifespan post partum is assessed by counting prism cross-striations (PCS) external to the NNL. In the literature, PCS have been determined to represent a circadian rhythm in human enamel formation. For both individuals, consistent results in terms of the presence of a NNL and the counts of prism cross-striations could have been obtained. In the younger individual evidence of a postnatal age at death of less than two weeks was documented. This study demonstrates that the use of the NNL as an individual landmark without the need for the reference to growth standards enables an estimation of age at death o...
Forensic science international, 2007
Dental age assessments are widely used to estimate age of immature skeletal remains. Most methods have relied on fractional stages of tooth emergence and formation, particularly of the permanent dentition, for predicting the age of infants and very young children. In this study, the accuracy of regression equations of developing deciduous tooth length for age estimation (Liversidge et al.) is tested on a sample of 30 Portuguese subadult skeletons of known age at death. Overall the method shows high accuracy and the average difference between estimated and chronological age is between 0.20 and À0.14 years when using single teeth, and 0.06 years, when using all available teeth. However, there is a tendency for the deciduous molars to provide overestimates of chronological age. Results show that age estimates can be obtained within AE0.10 years with a 95% confidence interval when several teeth are used. Overall between-tooth agreement in age estimates decreases with increasing age but there is less variability of estimates with more teeth contributing to overall mean age. One seemingly limitation of this method may be the fact that it was developed by combining the maxillary and mandibular teeth. The other is related to the accuracy with which radiographic tooth length can be used as a valid surrogate for actual tooth length. Nevertheless, the advantages of this metric method surpass the limitations of chronologies based on stages of dental development. #
Journal of forensic sciences, 2018
This study provides an update on a quantitative method for immature age estimation based on postnatal deciduous mandibular tooth length. Two known sex and age skeletal collections from Western Europe were sampled (n = 97). Linear regression models for age estimated were calculated for each individual tooth, each sex, and sex combined sample using classical calibration. Prediction errors, residuals, and percentage of individuals whose real age fell within the 95% prediction interval were calculated. The teeth which develop earlier in life, the incisors and the first molar, showed the greatest precision, while the canine showed the least. This method has greater applicability to archeological skeletons or to children in developing countries than for use in North American or European forensic contexts. The method can be applied to incomplete or poorly preserved remains of unknown sex, particularly when dental radiographs are not an option or when teeth have been removed from the alveol...
Five Markers of Changes in Teeth: An Estimating of Age
The Internet Journal of Forensic Science, 2006
The teeth are frequently better preserved than other material, their use for identification of an individual's age at death is very important. Dental aging received considerable attention within the forensic medicine and forensic odontology. Kilian's method is based on the subjective evaluation of six markers: the degree of attrition, the secondary dentine, the secondary cementum, the resorption, the transparency and the position of epithelial attachment. Kashyap and Koteswara Rao's method is based on the quantitative evaluation of four markers: the abrasion, the secondary dentine, the secondary cementum and the transparency. Our research is based on the confrontation of modification of Gustafson's aging method with using five markers: the degree of attrition, the secondary dentine, the secondary cementum, & the resorption and the transparency and made the regression equations for age determination of Indian population. Our results of age estimation were obtained using the Gustafson's aging method and Kilian's method after multiple regression of all studied were applied (absolute mean error of estimation 4.95 years-95% CI ± 2.04).
Medico-Legal Implications Of Dental Prenatal Age Estimation With Reference To A Case Report
Annals of Dentistry, 2000
The estimation of age of human foetal remains is of great medico-legal importance. When the remains are intact and fresh, various morphological features such as crown-heel length, weight, appearance of ossification centres particularly around the ankles and knees and other parameters could be used to make a reasonable estimation of the period of gestation. In cases of criminal abortion, infanticide and child murder the question of age of the foetus, viability, live birth and a separate existence become very important. In practice, often at the time of detection, the remains are decomposed or skeletonised. In such a situation the examination of developing teeth will provide a reliable answer pertaining to the foetal age, the possibility of a separate existence and even the period of survival after birth. The.age determination from dental examination is possible from approximately 10 weeks intrauterine up to old age. The presence of neonatal line (birth line) in both dentine and enamel indicates live birth and a separate existence. It is possible that the time period of survival can be estimated by measuring postnatal deposition of these hard tissues. An intact human foetus that has undergone mild to moderate putrefaction was studied. The study of the morphological features and the ossification centres suggested that its approximate age was around nine months intrauterine. It was not possible to decide whether it was a live birth and had a separate existence. The examination of the developing first deciduous molar of the mandible suggested the approximate age was around 30-32 weeks intrauterine. The importance of examination of developing teeth in foetal remains (including neonates), particularly associated with putrefaction or skeletonisation is emphasized.