Reliability of dentin translucency and incremental cemental lines in age estimation using light and stereomicroscopes: A comparative study.

Abstract

Age estimation of the dead and human remains has been challenging in forensic medicine, both in mass disasters and criminal investigations. There are several approaches to accurately evaluate age, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Dentine translucency (DT) and incremental cemental lines (ICL) have often been used for age estimation in living adults and unknown skeletal remains. We attempted to estimate age using both these parameters and compare accuracy of age estimated using these parameters in a larger sample. A total of 300 extracted single-rooted permanent teeth were collected from the patients aged between 15 and 75years. Longitudinal ground sections in the buccolingual direction of 250μm thickness were prepared, and the images obtained were subsequently analyzed to measure the length of DT using the ImageJ software program. In addition, the number of ICL were also counted in each tooth section. The age of the individuals was estimated using both methods individually, and the results have shown that both parameters have shown reliable age estimates in the middle age groups. However, there was overestimation of age up to 10.6years in the younger age group using DT and an underestimation of age up to 13.4years in the older age group with ICL. Pearson's correlation statistics revealed a strong positive and statistically significant correlation of both the parameters with the chronological age (0.973 and 0.917). To conclude, the method using the ICL should be preferred due to the relatively higher number of errors (<±3years) which were considered excellent.