Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Usability of dental pulp visibility and tooth coronal index in digital panoramic radiography in age estimation in the forensic medicine

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Legal Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Correction to this article was published on 09 December 2019

This article has been updated

Abstract

Age estimation has a great importance due to legal requirements. The aim of our study was to determine the applicability of two different methods in age estimation; one of them based on the calculation of the visibility of the root pulp of mandibular third molar teeth and the other based on the calculation of the tooth coronal index (TCI) in the mandibular first and second molar teeth in the 9059 digital orthopantomogram of people aged between 15 and 40 in Bursa. In the first method in which the visibility of the fully mineralized root pulp of the mandibular third molar teeth was evaluated in 4 stages; the stages 0, 1, 2, and 3 were observed regardless of sex at the earliest 17.2; 19.1; 20.1, and 25.1 years, respectively. In the second method in which TCI was regressed on chronological age using measuring crown and coronal pulp cavity heights, the most accurate age estimation model based on simple linear regression for all cases without any sex difference was found to be with right first molar tooth (SEE ±7304 years) and the most accurate age model based on multiple regression model was found to be with bilateral first molar teeth (SEE ±7413 years). In conclusion, we believe that the root pulp visibility of the third molar teeth can be applied safely for stages 1, 2, and 3 at 16, 17, and 21 years of ages, respectively. A correlation was also found between TCI and age, and our findings have shown that both methods are available for forensic purposes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Change history

  • 09 December 2019

    The published version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake.

References

  1. Fedakar R (1998) Usability of chest radiographs in age determination in forensic medicine. Dissertation, Bursa Uludag University

  2. Meinl A (2007) The application of dental age estimation methods: comparative validity and problems in practical implementation. Dissertation, University of Vienna

  3. Panchbhai AS (2011) Dental radiographic indicators, a key to age estimation. Dentomaxillofac Radiol 40(4):199–212

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Olze A, Solheim T, Schulz R, Kupfer M, Schmeling A (2010) Evaluation of the radiographic visibility of the root pulp in the lower third molars for the purpose of forensic age estimation in living individuals. Int J Legal Med 124(3):183–186

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Turkish Criminal Code (Law No. 5237). https://www.tbmm.gov.tr/kanunlar/k5237.html. Accessed 20 December 2018

  6. Child Protection Law (Law No. 5395). http://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/MevzuatMetin/1.5.5395.pdf. Accessed 20 December 2018

  7. Civil Registration Services Law. (Law No. 5490). http://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/MevzuatMetin/1.5.5490.pdf. Accessed 20 December 2018

  8. Turkish Civil Code. (Law No. 4721). http://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/MevzuatMetin/1.5.4721.pdf. Accessed 20 December 2018

  9. Code of Criminal Procedure. (Law No. 5271). http://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/MevzuatMetin/1.5.5271.pdf. Accessed 20 December 2018

  10. Harris EF, Mincer HH, Anderson KM, Senn DR (2010) Age estimation from oral and dental structures. In: Senn DR, Stimson PG (eds) Forensic dentistry, 2nd edn. CRC Press, pp 263–305

  11. Afşin H (2004) Morphology of mouth and teeth. In: Afşin H (ed) Adli Diş Hekimliği, 1st edn, İstanbul, pp 19–75

  12. Zijabeg N (2007) Dental development and anomalies. Dissertation, Ege University; 2007

  13. Star H, Thevissen P, Jacobs R, Fieuws S, Solheim T, Willems G (2011) Human dental age estimation by calculation of pulp-tooth volume ratios yielded on clinically acquired cone beam computed tomography images of monoradicular teeth. J Forensic Sci 56(1):77–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Drusini AG (1993) Age estimation from teeth using soft X-ray findings. Anthropol Anz 51(1):41–46

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Meinl A, Tangl S, Pernicka E, Fenes C, Watzek G (2007) On the applicability of secondary dentin formation to radiological age estimation in young adults. J Forensic Sci 52(2):438–441

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Demirjian A, Goldstein H, Tanner JM (1973) A new system of dental age assessment. Hum Biol 45(2):211–227

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Thevissen PW, Fieuws S, Willems G (2011) Third molar development: measurements versus scores as age predictor. Arch Oral Biol 56(10):1035–1040

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Mesotten K, Gunst K, Carbonez A, Willems G (2002) Dental age estimation and third molars: a preliminary study. Forensic Sci Int 129(2):110–115

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Thevissen PW, Alqerban A, Asaumi J et al (2010) Human dental age estimation using third molar developmental stages: accuracy of age predictions not using country specific information. Forensic Sci Int 201(1–3):106–111

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Kolltveit KM, Solheim T, Kvaal SI (1998) Methods of measuring morphological parameters in dental radiographs: comparison between image analysis and manual measurements. Forensic Sci Int 94(1–2):87–95

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Yun JI, Lee JY, Chung JW, Kho HS, Kim YK (2007) Age estimation of Korean adults by occlusal tooth wear. J Forensic Sci 52(3):678–683

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Yang F, Jacobs R, Willems G (2006) Dental age estimation through volume matching of teeth imaged by cone-beam CT. Forensic Sci Int 159(1):78–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Maat GJ, Gerretsen RR, Aarents MJ (2006) Improving the visibility of tooth cementum annulations by adjustment of the cutting angle of microscopic sections. Forensic Sci Int 159(1):95–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Yekkala R, Meers C, Van Schepdael A, Hoogmartens J, Lambrichts I, Willems G (2006) Racemization of aspartic acid from human dentin in the estimation of chronological age. Forensic Sci Int 159(1):89–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Martin-de las Heras S, Valenzuela A, Villanueva E (1999) Deoxypyridinoline crosslinks in human dentin and estimation of age. Int J Legal Med 112(4):222–226

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Drusini AG, Toso O, Ranzato C (1997) The coronal pulp cavity index: a biomarker for age determination in human adults. Am J Phys Anthropol 103(3):353–363

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Żądzińska E, Drusini AG, Carrara N (2000) The comparison between two age estimation methods based on human teeth. Prz Antropol Anthropol Rev 63:95–101

    Google Scholar 

  28. Igbigbi PS, Nyirenda SK (2005) Age estimation of Malawian adults from dental radiographs. West Afr J Med 24(4):329–233

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Karadayı B (2010) Age estimation from teeth of adults and sub-adults: application of digital radiologic techniques. Dissertation, İstanbul University

  30. Karkhanis S, Mack P, Franklin D (2013) Age estimation standards for a Western Australian population using the coronal pulp cavity index. Forensic Sci Int 231(1–3):412.1–412.6

    Google Scholar 

  31. Moss ML, Chase PS, Howes RI (1967) Comparative odontometry of the permanent post-canine dentition of American Whites and Negroes. Am J Phys Anthropol 27:125–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. De Salvia A, Calzetta C, Orrico M, De Leo D (2004) Third mandibular molar radiological development as an indicator of chronological age in a European population. Forensic Sci Int 146:9–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Lalys L, Ruquet M, Tardivo D, Laibi S, Bartoli C, Adalian P, Panuel M, Leonetti G, Foti B (2011) Estimation of gestational age from tooth germs: biometric study of DentaScan images. J Forensic Sci 56(1):220–223

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Guo YC, Chu G, Olze A, Schmidt S, Schulz R, Ottow C, Pfeiffer H, Chen T, Schmeling A (2018) Age estimation of Chinese children based on second molar maturity. Int J Legal Med 132(3):807–813

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Guo YC, Li MJ, Olze A, Schmidt S, Schulz R, Zhou H, Pfeiffer H, Chen T, Schmeling A (2018) Studies on the radiographic visibility of the periodontal ligament in lower third molars: can the Olze method be used in the Chinese population? Int J Legal Med 132(2):617–622

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Metsäniitty M, Waltimo-Sirén J, Ranta H, Fieuws S, Thevissen P (2019) Dental age estimation in Somali children and sub-adults combining permanent teeth and third molar development. Int J Legal Med. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-019-02053-w

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  37. Farhadian M, Salemi F, Saati S, Nafisi N (2019) Dental age estimation using the pulp-to-tooth ratio in canines by neural networks. Imaging Sci Dent 49(1):19–26

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. Guo YC, Chu G, Olze A, Schmidt S, Schulz R, Ottow C, Pfeiffer H, Chen T, Schmeling A (2018) Application of age assessment based on the radiographic visibility of the root pulp of lower third molars in a northern Chinese population. Int J Legal Med 132(3):825–829

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakır, Turkey

    Ertugrul Gok

  2. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine, Bursa Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey

    Recep Fedakar

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Bursa Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey

    Ilker Mustafa Kafa

Authors
  1. Ertugrul Gok
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Recep Fedakar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ilker Mustafa Kafa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ilker Mustafa Kafa.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gok, E., Fedakar, R. & Kafa, I.M. Usability of dental pulp visibility and tooth coronal index in digital panoramic radiography in age estimation in the forensic medicine. Int J Legal Med 134, 381–392 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-019-02188-w

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-019-02188-w

Keywords

Search

Navigation