Journal de recherche médico-légale

Comparative Evaluation of Two Established Age Estimation Techniques (Two Histological and Radiological) by Image Analysis Software using Single Tooth

Abstract

Madhu Shrestha

There are a variety of techniques for accurate estimation of age from teeth that offer a reasonable degree of accuracy, but it still remains a dilemma for the inexperienced practitioner to standardize a particular one. For this reason this study intends to standardize an age estimation method for the Indian population. Age estimation in this study was done by two established radiological methods like (Tooth Coronal index (TCI) and Kvaal’s method) and two histological techniques (Kashyaps and Koteswara modification of Gustafson’s method and secondary dentine method). A total of forty-one extracted teeth of varied age and gender, of known age, sex and teeth number were taken, photographed and numbered for blind fold study. A new technique of radiographic method using a modified paralleling technique with grid lines was employed. Radiological parameters such as “crown height”, “pulp height” and were measured for TCI whereas “height” and “width” at three different points were taken for Kvaal’s technique. Morphological parameters such as attrition, histological parameters such as secondary dentin, root transparency and cementum apposition were assessed from ground sections. TCI method was found to be the best radiologic and secondary dentin estimation was found to be the best histological techniques.