Forensic age estimation in human skeletal remains: current concepts and future directions

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Biological Anthropology
• Osteology

Background:

• Skeletal identification is a cornerstone of physical and forensic anthropology.
• Formulating a biological profile (osteobiography) involves estimating sex, age, ethnicity, and stature.
• Accurate age estimation is critical for identifying unidentified human remains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review principal methods for estimating age from skeletal remains.
• To differentiate between methods applicable to juvenile and adult skeletons.
• To provide a timely overview of established and emerging age estimation techniques.

Main Methods:

• Review of established methods for skeletal age estimation.
• Categorization of methods based on developmental features (juveniles) and degenerative features (adults).
• Consideration of morphological variations influencing age assessment.

Main Results:

• Age estimation methods vary significantly based on skeletal maturity.
• Developmental features are key for juvenile age assessment.
• Degenerative features are primarily used for adult age estimation.

Conclusions:

• The choice of age estimation method is dependent on whether the remains are from a juvenile or an adult.
• Ongoing development of new methods and refinement of existing ones are advancing skeletal age assessment.
• Accurate age estimation remains a vital component of osteobiography in forensic investigations.