Evaluation of Lamendin’s age-at-death estimation method in a documented osteological collection (La Plata, Argentina)

Abstract

Age estimation is one of the main biological parameters to be determined for constructing an individual biological profile. In contexts where bones are poorly preserved, the use of teeth becomes relevant. Translucency of dentine has become relevant in recent decades, since the publication of the method proposed by Lamendin et al. (1992). In the local context, studies validating age-estimation methods from the permanent dentition are lacking. For this reason, it was decided to evaluate the performance of the age-estimation method proposed by Lamendin et al. (1992) in a sample of adult individuals with documented age belonging to the Lambre collection from the Municipal Cemetery of the city of La Plata. It was found that estimated age according to Lamendin et al.’s (1992) method varies by tooth type and age, being age the one that influences the estimates the most. On the other hand, sex has no influence in the estimation of age. The results showed no differences in the estimation in individuals between 35–50 years old, while exhibiting a tendency to overestimate age in young adults and to underestimate it in older ones.

Keywords

• Forensic anthropology population data
• Age estimation
• Permanent dentition
• Dental translucency
• Lamendin’s method