Comparison of TCI–Benindra formula, Al-Qahtani, and Blenkin-Taylor methods for age estimation in 16–21 year olds

Abstract

Due to the possible risk of age manipulation in 16–21 year-old individuals, particularly in cases of human trafficking, accurate methods of exact age estimation are essential. This study aimed to test the accuracy of the tooth coronal index (TCI)–Benindra formula method, which is based on the mandibular first premolar, and to compare it with other methods, namely, the Al-Qahtani and the Blenkin-Taylor methods. This result found that there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) among the three age estimation methods and that all three methods yielded ages that were close to real age, in age range of 16–21 years. Therefore, the TCI–Benindra formula, the Al-Qahtani, and the Blenkin-Taylor methods may be used for accurate age estimation, specifically in Indonesian population.