Age estimation using mandibular dimensions: a preliminary study

Year 2018, Volume: 9 Issue: 2, 41 - 48, 31.12.2018

Can Pelin Hande Pamukçu Yağmur Zengin , Hale Öktem Ayla Kürkçüoğlu

Abstract

Age estimation alongside determination of sex, height, and
ancestry is of utmost importance for an accurate identification of
the victim in forensic cases. On the other hand, reliable age
estimation in living individuals is of significance in both judicial
and ethical terms, especially with regard to the evaluation of
criminal liability, and is becoming increasingly important as a
result of rapid increase in immigration movements in the global
scale. Most studies related to age estimation so far have
investigated degenerations or developmental process of either
tooth or skeletal system. Our aim in this preliminary study is to
calculate regression equations to be used in age estimation using
mandible size in children aged 18 or below and to evaluate its
reliability. We evaluated 140 cephalometric images from patients
with skeletal Class I closure. All images were obtained from the
archive of Başkent University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of
Orthodontics. In every image, seven anthropometric measurements were performed: gonion-menton (Go-Me), gonion-gnathion,
(Go-Gn) condylion-gonion (Co-Go), condylion-gnathion (Co-Gn),
gonial angle, SNA, SNB, and ANB. The last three parameters were
used to determine whether the skeletal development of maxilla
and mandible were within normal limits, and not included in
equations for age estimation. Statistical analysis results revealed
that the distance from condylion to gnathion showed the highest
level of correlation with age (71.3%) (P<0.001), and this
parameter was the only parameter included in the model (R2 =
0.508). As a conclusion, although it showed statistically
significant correlation with chronological age, it can be said that
the equation based on the aforementioned parameter is not
sufficiently reliable for age estimation. 

Keywords

Age estimation, mandible, forensic anthropology

References

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