Abstract
Precise age determination of unidentified bodies and human remains is one of the essential tasks of forensic science. The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of using the enantiomeric composition of aspartic acid racemization in root and crown dentin for dental age estimation using a Polish population sample. Coronal and root dentin from four teeth groups from the mandible were studied using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. The results demonstrated a very high correlation between the chronological age and enantiomeric composition in both of the dentin samples. Individual linear equations of root dentin with correlation coefficients between 0.96 and 0.98 and a standard estimation error of ±2.95–4.84 years validated the application of aspartic acid racemization as a significant practical contribution to everyday forensic medical practice. Discrepancies in methodological aspects and modifications that simplify the protocol are presented.
Highlights
One of the key tasks of forensic odontology is the identification of bodies of unknown identity, which is necessary for procedural and legal reasons and for humanitarian reasons
This paper presents the work conducted on root dentin
The presented results demonstrate that application of an aspartic acid racemization method using root dentin allows for precise age estimates to be obtained
Summary
One of the key tasks of forensic odontology is the identification of bodies of unknown identity, which is necessary for procedural and legal reasons and for humanitarian reasons. In the case of unidentified bodies or remains, the first task is to establish the decedent’s group features, followed by the decedent’s individual features, such as sex and chronological age, with the latter being determined as precisely as possible. Many methods for the estimation of chronological age on the basis of dentition are known [1]; there is Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Sedziowska 18a Street, 91-304 Lodz, Poland. Social and Technical Department, State Higher Vocational School in Konin, Przyjazni 1 Street, 62-510 Konin, Poland no accurate and objective method currently in use in Poland. The results from dental studies based on different populations [2, 3] may need to be verified [4] and, if required, modified to meet Polish requirements [5, 6], as inter-population differences can arise
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