Exploring optimal methods for age-at-death estimation using pulp/tooth area ratios: a South African study.

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Forensic Odontology
• Bioarchaeology

Background:

• Accurate age-at-death estimation is crucial for identifying unknown human remains in forensic investigations.
• The pulp/tooth area ratio (PAR) method, based on secondary dentine apposition, is a common technique for adult dental age estimation.
• The impact of imaging modality and enamel inclusion on PAR method accuracy requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability, sex bias, and accuracy of the PAR method for age estimation in South African adults.
• To assess the influence of different image types (radiographs, tooth sections) and enamel area inclusion on PAR method performance.
• To identify optimal approaches for applying the PAR method to maxillary canines in forensic contexts.

Main Methods:

• An observational, cross-sectional study analyzed 52 adult maxillary canines from a South African cadaveric sample.
• Labiolingual and mesiodistal periapical radiographs and labiolingual stereomicroscopic tooth section images were analyzed using ImageJ to calculate PARs.
• Linear regression models for age estimation were developed for each image type, with and without enamel area, and compared using best-subsets regression and cross-validation.

Main Results:

• The PAR method demonstrated reliability and independence from sex, providing relatively accurate age-at-death estimates for the studied population.
• Image type significantly affected accuracy, with tooth section images yielding the lowest error, followed by labiolingual and mesiodistal radiographs.
• Excluding the enamel area consistently improved model performance across all tested image types.

Conclusions:

• The PAR method is a viable and accurate technique for estimating age at death in South African adults, particularly when using tooth section images.
• Exclusion of enamel area enhances the accuracy of PAR-based age estimation models.
• This study provides valuable data for forensic odontology in South Africa and refines stereomicroscopic analysis for dental age estimation.