Age estimation using pulp/tooth area ratio of maxillary and mandibular canines on digital orthopantomographs in a sample of Sri Lankan population

Introduction: Reliable age estimation at the death of human remains is considered crucial to interpret osteological data. In addition to gender, age is an essential basic biological parameter which facilitates the identification of human remains in forensic and palaeodemographic contexts. It is also well established that the use of morphological characteristics of the teeth is considered to help more reliable age estimates than most of the other methods as the teeth are sometimes the only skeletal remains to be used for the estimation of age if the skeletons are highly damaged. Aim: The aim of the present study is to propose a method for assessing the chronological age based on the relationship between age and measurement of pulp/tooth area ratio (AR) on canine teeth using digital orthopantomographs for a Sri Lankan population. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of orthopantomographs (OPGs) of 231 subjects (113 males and 118 females) aged 17–76 years. The AR of upper and lower canines was calculated according to the reported technique, and statistical analysis was performed to obtain multiple regression formulae for dental age calculation, with chronological age as the dependent variable, and gender, left and right side of upper and lower canines as independent variables. Results: The AR between right and left canine teeth of maxilla and mandible shows no statistically significant difference and also no significant effect of gender on all regression models. Furthermore, as the intercept and slope of all regression equations show highly significant consistency in predicting the chronological age any permanent canine tooth of the dentition can be used with high reliability for the estimation of age. Mean prediction errors of the present study were 0.16 years and 0.21 years, respectively, for right and left mandibular canines and 0.10 years and 0.15 years, respectively, for right and left maxillary canines and confirms the high reliability and accuracy in the prediction of age. Conclusion: The result of the present study shows that estimating the age using the formulae is highly reliable and accurate, and intercept and slope of the formulae are different in each population group.