Three-Dimensional Radiological Methods for Age Estimation in Adults by Using the Pulp/Tooth Relation: an Integrative Review

Abstract

Assessment of secondary dentin apposition is an observable phenomenon widely used to estimate age. An integrative review was performed by searching the keywords "computed tomography AND age estimation AND pulp tooth volume ratio" and "microfocus x-ray AND age estimation AND pulp tooth volume ratio" in the electronic platforms Embase, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science, in July 2020. Studies included: complete articles with age estimation from human teeth by use of computed tomography or micro-computed tomography, written in English, without time restriction. Excluded studies: not written in English or not in form of an article, clinical cases, literature reviews, if did not realize age estimations or if age estimation is done in animals teeth. The search resulted in 32 different articles. With application of the above criteria only 26 were reviewed. Data collected included: reference, year, country, tooth type, number of subjects, number of teeth, age group, image type, measuring instrument/software, type of analysis, coefficient of determination, correlation coefficient with age and accuracy. These data provided a quick global comparison of various methodologies that use the pulp/tooth relation, being practical for researchers and forensic team to which method they can use accordingly to a specific case and its expected accuracy.

Keywords

• Forensic dentistry
• Radiology
• Age determination by teeth
• Dental pulp
• Tooth