Age-related changes in the root canal system of permanent anterior teeth in Tibetan individuals

This study aimed to assess age-related changes in pulp volume, volume ratio, buccolingual and mesiodistal diameter ratios, and the distance from foramen to apex in permanent anterior teeth of Tibetan individuals using micro-CT, and to evaluate the potential of these parameters as age estimation indicators.

A total of 121 permanent anterior teeth from Tibetan individuals (43 males and 78 females, aged 18 to 89 years) were analyzed with adjustment for tooth type as a covariate. Teeth were stratified into seven age groups and scanned using micro-CT. Measurements included pulp volume (PV), dentin volume (DV), volume ratio (VR = PV/DV), buccolingual ratio (BLR= inner/outer BL diameter), mesiodistal ratio (MDR=inner/outer MD diameter), and distance from foramen to apex (DFA). The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare age group differences, followed by post-hoc pairwise comparisons with Bonferroni correction. Spearman's rank correlation and linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations between age and the measured parameters.

PV, VR, BLR, and MDR all showed significant age-related decreases (all P < 0.05), with BLR demonstrating the strongest correlation (rₛ = -0.371). DFA showed no significant age-related change. The regression equation for BLR against age was y = 0.31107 - 0.00224x, with R² = 0.1380.

In Tibetan permanent anterior teeth, PV, VR, BLR, and MDR decrease with age, with BLR showing the strongest correlation. BLR may serve as a supplementary age estimation marker when used in combination with other indicators.