Abstract
Introduction: Age estimation in children and adolescents often depends on morphological methods, such as examination of dental development. Objectives: The aim of this project was to validate, in a Portuguese population, two forensic methods of dental age estimation – Schour and Massler charts and the London atlas. Materials and Methods: The test sample was composed by 108 dental radiographs of living and known-age individuals. Dental age was estimated according to each method. Chronological age was then compared to the estimated dental age using individual t-test and paired t-test. Results: Results showed that the Schour and Massler charts underestimated age and the London atlas overestimated age. Nevertheless, the London atlas performed better in all measures. Mean differences for both the London atlas and Schour and Massler were 0,1389 and -5,4167 months respectively. Schour and Massler charts showed significant statistical difference between dental age and chronological age (p <0.05). Discussion and Conclusions: We conclude that, in the evaluated sample, age estimation using the London atlas represents an improvement in forensic age estimation from developing teeth. Further studies should be done with a larger Portuguese population sample.
Highlights
Age estimation in children and adolescents often depends on morphological methods, such as examination of dental development
We conclude that, in the evaluated sample, age estimation using the London atlas represents an improvement in forensic age estimation from developing teeth
The main objective was to estimate the chronological age of a subadult Portuguese population by applying two dental methods used in forensic age estimation: Schour and Massler atlas and the London atlas
Summary
Age estimation in children and adolescents often depends on morphological methods, such as examination of dental development. Forensic age estimation in sub-adults, which can be defined as children, adolescents and young adults who have not reached complete development, has been requested transversally by the authorities using dental age [1]. Dental age can be estimated by observing the morphological stages of tooth mineralization [2,3]. There are numerous methods that use dental development to estimate age. Some compare the mineralization stage confirmed in radiographs with standardized schemas or diagrams – atlases based methods [4]. The first atlas based method in forensic age estimation was developed by Schour and Massler in 1941 (and modified by the authors in 1944) [5,6]. The most recent one is the London atlas developed in 2010 [7]
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