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Age-related changes in the pulp chamber of maxillary and mandibular molars on cone-beam computed tomography images

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Abstract

Objectives

Secondary dentine is laid on pulp chamber walls with increasing age, and decreases pulp chamber size. This study aimed to investigate age estimation on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images for forensic science, and the relationship between age and pulp chamber area of maxillary and mandibular molars.

Methods

We reviewed the CBCT images of 316 first molars in 87 patients with dental lesions. The 87 patients were classified into three groups: younger, 11–28 years; middle-aged, 34–59 years; and older, 60–74 years. The relationship between age and pulp chamber area of maxillary and mandibular molars was evaluated.

Results

The mean pulp chamber area of maxillary molars was 8.4 ± 2.0, 4.4 ± 1.7, and 2.9 ± 0.9 mm2 in the younger, middle-aged, and older groups, respectively, (p = 0.028). The mean pulp chamber area of mandibular molars was 10.5 ± 2.3, 6.7 ± 2.2, and 3.7 ± 1.5 mm2 in the younger, middle-aged, and older groups, respectively, (p = 0.000). The mean pulp chamber area of mandibular molars was larger than that of maxillary molars in the younger (p = 0.000), middle-aged (p = 0.000), and older (p = 0.094) groups. The mean pulp chamber area of maxillary and mandibular molars was significantly correlated with age [Y = −0.142X + 11.582 (R 2 = 0.586, p = 0.000) and Y = −0.163X + 14.249 (R 2 = 0.609, p = 0.000), respectively].

Conclusions

These findings should be useful for diagnosis and treatment planning in dental practice and age estimation in forensic science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiology, The Nippon Dental University Niigata Hospital, 1-8 Hamaura-cho, Chuo-ku, Niigata, Niigata, 951-8580, Japan

    Mikiko Sue, Takaaki Oda, Yoshihiko Sasaki & Ichiro Ogura

Authors
  1. Mikiko Sue
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  2. Takaaki Oda
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  3. Yoshihiko Sasaki
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  4. Ichiro Ogura
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mikiko Sue.

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Conflict of interest

Mikiko Sue, Takaaki Oda, Yoshihiko Sasaki, and Ichiro Ogura declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human rights statement

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1964 and later versions.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

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Sue, M., Oda, T., Sasaki, Y. et al. Age-related changes in the pulp chamber of maxillary and mandibular molars on cone-beam computed tomography images. Oral Radiol 34, 219–223 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11282-017-0300-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11282-017-0300-1

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