Age Estimation In Adolescents Research Articles

New equation for estimation of dental age by tooth cementum thickness in adolescents and adults: forensic aspects.

Our research was aimed to establish the equation and to determine its precision for dental age estimation in adolescents, adults and the elderly based on the thickness of deposited dental cement. The study sample consisted of 206 donor teeth of both sexes (10 to 82 years of age). The roots were transversely cut (6 cuts) on an ISOMET 1000 cutter at apical, middle, and cervical parts (slice thickness 0.3 to 0.5μm). Measurements of cement thickness on incisions were made with a light microscope and an Olympus EP50 camera with previous microscope calibration for each measurement episode. Measurements were carried out clockwise at 4 measuring points on each incision. Statistical analyses were conducted using statistical software packages STATISTICA version 12.0 StatSoft, Inc. 2013, and MedCalc® version 22.0. Mean cement thickness (MCT) significantly declined from apical to cervical cuts (P < 0.001, ANOVA) and was thicker in teeth with a destroyed tooth crown (P < 0.001, ANOVA) and in molars compared to incisors (P < 0.001, ANOVA). MCT was greater in men and in teeth with more than one root but without reaching statistical significance. MCT showed a significant increase from the second decade of chronological age with a peek at sixth decade and declined to the ninth decade (P < 0.001, ANOVA). Piecewise linear regression defined a breakpoint age of 53 years, so two different equations were calculated (≤ 53 years and > 53 years). The resulting equation is recommended for estimating dental age in forensic analyses.

Age estimation of 8- to 25-year-olds based on third molar calcification using the Demirjian method in an Indonesian population

Age estimation of adolescents and young adults is important both legally and medicolegally. During this age period, only the third molars are still in development. We aimed to determine the correlation between chronological age and third molar development in an Indonesian population using the Demirjian method. The sample consisted of 407 panoramic radiographics obtained from Indonesians aged between 8 and 25 years. Statistical analysis used a Pearson correlation test, and regression analysis was performed to obtain the regression formula to calculate the age estimation. The result of Pearson correlation test showed a strong correlation (p>0.75) between each third molar and age (p < 0.05). Regression correlations obtained included the sum model of four third molars, three third molars, two third molars, and one third molar. There was a very strong correlation between chronological age and third molar development in the Indonesian population.

Hand MRI and the Greulich-Pyle atlas in skeletal age estimation in adolescents

ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility of hand MRI in age assessment in adolescents using the Greulich-Pyle (GP) atlas criteria.Materials and methodsTwo radiologists, who were blinded to the study subjects’ chronologic ages, semi-objectively evaluated 1.5-T MRIs of the left hands of ten patients (13.5 ± 2.6 years) who had left-hand radiographs and 50 healthy volunteers (15 ± 2 years).ResultsA coronal T1-weighted, volumetric, interpolated, breath-hold examination with water excitation (T1 VIBE-3D-WE) achieved the best image quality. The correlation between estimated patients’ ages on radiographs and MRI was high. The average estimated age difference between the MRIs and radiographs was −0.05 years for reader 1 and −0.175 years for reader 2. The interclass coefficients (ICCs) showed high interobserver agreement (radiographs: ICC = 0.95, MRI: ICC = 0.97). The ICC, calculated separately for the male and female volunteers’ estimated ages by MRI, also showed a high agreement between the two readers (male: ICC = 0.97, female: ICC = 0.95). Reader 1 estimated 94% of volunteers within 2 standard deviations (SD) and 62% within 1 SD. The results for reader 2 were 92% and 54%, respectively. Thirty-nine percent of girls and 27% of boys were estimated to be older using 1 SD.ConclusionMRI of the left hand is a feasible alternative to hand radiographs for skeletal age estimation in adolescents using the GP criteria with 2 SD. Using 1 SD, the age of healthy volunteers tended to be estimated as higher than the chronologic age. Future studies should evaluate the results in a larger number of participants.

Dental and skeletal maturation as simultaneous and separate predictors of chronological age in post-pubertal individuals: a preliminary study in assessing the probability of having attained 16 years of age in the living

The goal of this paper is to explore whether combining dental and skeletal maturation data increases the reliability of determining whether an individual is 16 years old or older. This is tentatively done by building probabilistic models for age estimation based on dental and skeletal maturation using a longitudinal sample of eight males, with annual assessments between the ages of 13 and 19, totalling 56 observations. Skeletal maturity was assessed for the radius and ulna using the TW2 method, and dental maturity was assessed for the second and third molars using Demirjian’s scheme. Logistic regression was selected to determine the probability of an individual being 16 years of age and older, by combining dental and skeletal maturity scores and using them separately. The age estimation models combining dental and skeletal maturity scores seem to perform better than either dental or skeletal maturity in isolation. In addition, when in isolation or combination, models based on skeletal maturity scores seem to outperform models based on dental maturity scores. The findings seem to support the notion that dental development is less reliable than skeletal maturity for age estimation in adolescents, but these results have to be confirmed by further studies.

Dental age estimation in living individuals using 3.0 T MRI of lower third molars.

In order to increase the validity of age estimation in adolescents and young adults when there is no legitimation for X-ray examinations, it seems desirable to be able to assess the mineralization of third molars using X-ray-free imaging procedures. In the present study, the mineralization stages of lower third molars were determined prospectively in 269 male and 248 female individuals aged 12 to 24 years using 3.0 T MRI. The classification system of Demirjian et al. was used to determine the stages. This study presents the minima and maxima, means and standard deviations, median values, and lower and upper quartiles separately for both sexes, for the mineralization stages B-H. Statistically significant sex differences were observed for the mineralization stages C, E, F, and G, and a faster developmental rate was observed for males. It was concluded that magnetic resonance imaging is an X-ray-free alternative to orthopantomography when assessing mineralization of third molars.

Response to commentary on “Radiographic analysis of epiphyseal fusion at knee joint to assess likelihood of having attained 18 years of age”

Dear Sir, We would first like to express our thanks for your valuable comments on our recently published article entitled “Radiographic analysis of epiphyseal fusion at knee joint to assess likelihood of having attained 18 years of age”. Second, we are very grateful to you for highlighting some evident errors in the published article. Unfortunately, one of them occurred in the way the figures have been presented. The Figs. 1 and 2 and their captions were inadvertently misplaced in the electronic version of the article. The right order of the figures and their corresponding captions appears as follows: In addition, in regard to the right number of studied subjects, a sample of 99 boys and 116 girls was analysed. The correct Table 1 is also as follows: Last but not least, we would like to answer your comments, to better clarify to readers the importance of this study in the relationship between age and forensic human identification. Regarding the use of a cumulative score for epiphyseal fusion at the knee joint, you state: “...it would have been more interesting and informative to present the scores for each epiphysis individually too as it could have shown the strength of each epiphysis in deciding the cut-off age and to note if any of the three epiphysis at the knee joint in particular shows delay in closure consistently.” From a clinical perspective, we agree that it would be of great interest to know whether there is a definite difference in the time at which the process of each epiphyseal union occurs. The age variation in the union of each separate epiphysis could provide important information aiding age estimation of adolescents and young adults, increasing information available in previously published works. However, such data have already been collected from several populations, by methods ranging from dry bone evaluation to medical imaging [1]. The radiological method also allows researchers to examine epiphyses at various ages in the same individual, but more important still is the facility with which large samples may be examined and accurate average dates arrived at [2]. The earliest appearance of the epiphyseal centre is easy to detect, when it is no bigger than a pinhead: its position can be recorded and its rate and direction of spread observed. Due to those mentioned above, the variation in the time of fusion of various knee bones has long been established. Countable differences have been noted in the appearance and fusion activities of ossification centres, showing that the process may be influenced by several factors such as geographic distribution, sex, nutritional status, infectious disease, hormonal and metabolic disorders and physical activity [2, 3]. Nevertheless, clinical and forensic approaches are based on different perspectives, and any comparison must take this fact into account. While clinical methods focus exclusively on establishing chronological age as accurately as possible, the forensic focus is on evaluating the needs of the individual. A proven identity with confirmation of chronological age is really important, since age determines how an individual will be treated by state authorities. Age defines access to services such as child protection, education and health care during childhood, and benefits, empowerments and citizen entitlements at adulthood, including employment legislation, banking services, driving licences and pensions. Age also often R. Cameriere : S. De Luca : L. Ferrante AgEstimation Project, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Macerata, Macerata, Italy

Age Estimation of Adolescents and Young Adults based on Development of Mandibular Third Molars: A Panoramic Study

Age Estimation of Adolescents and Young Adults based on Development of Mandibular Third Molars: A Panoramic Study