Validation of Age Estimation Using the Compositional Variation of Dental Hard Tissue: An X-ray Diffraction Analysis

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Forensic Science
• Biomineralization

Background:

• X-rays and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are established non-destructive methods for material analysis.
• These techniques can determine crystallographic structure, chemical composition, and physical properties.
• XRD has potential applications in forensic science, including age estimation and dental assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the accuracy of age estimation using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis.
• To investigate compositional changes in tooth hard tissue for age determination.
• To assess the potential of XRD as a novel method for forensic age assessment.

Main Methods:

• Four human tooth samples were analyzed using a Pan Analytical XRD (Malvern Panalytical Ltd., UK) d8 family platform.
• Analysis utilized Cu Kα radiation (0.154 nm) with a scan rate of 0.02° over a range of 0° to 80°.
• Key parameters measured included the angle of incidence (ω), angle of diffraction (2θ), and inter-atomic distance (d-spacing).

Main Results:

• The study established relationships between the angle of incidence (ω) and the angle of diffraction (2θ).
• Inter-atomic distances (d-spacing) were measured, providing insights into the crystallographic structure.
• Higher peak intensity in XRD patterns correlated with increased crystal size or crystallinity, indicating more atoms within the crystal structure.

Conclusions:

• X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a promising technique for accurate age determination.
• The study highlights XRD's advanced and dynamic approach to analyzing crystallographic characteristics of tooth hard tissue.
• XRD offers a novel methodology for forensic age estimation based on biomineral composition.