Age-at-death estimation of pathological individuals: A complementary approach using teeth cementum annulations

Area of Science:

• Bioarchaeology
• Paleopathology
• Forensic Anthropology

Background:

• Accurate age-at-death estimation is crucial in bioarchaeology.
• Skeletal pathologies can introduce significant errors in traditional age estimation methods (e.g., pelvic, rib, dental, cranial indicators).
• Limited research exists on the impact of pathologies on age estimation due to a scarcity of relevant skeletal samples.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of traditional osseous age indicators versus cementochronology in individuals with bone dysplasias.
• To investigate the suitability of cementochronology for age estimation in cases of severe rhino-maxillary infection and leprosy.

Main Methods:

• Age-at-death estimation was performed on three individuals with bone dysplasias (achondroplasia, rickets, osteogenesis imperfecta) using cementum annulations and standard osseous indicators.
• Age estimation was also conducted on an individual with leprosy.
• Comparison of age estimates derived from morphological/osseous techniques and histological cementum annulations.

Main Results:

• Significant discrepancies were observed between age estimates from morphological/osseous methods and cementochronology in individuals with bone dysplasias.
• Cementum annulation analysis in an individual with leprosy showed no negative impact on age estimation accuracy.
• Morphological methods showed reduced accuracy when skeletal pathologies were present.

Conclusions:

• Skeletal pathologies can compromise the accuracy of traditional morphological age estimation techniques.
• Cementochronology appears to be a valuable and potentially more accurate method for age-at-death estimation in pathological skeletal remains.
• Further research is warranted to understand the full extent of pathological influence on skeletal age indicators.