No abstract

No abstract

Lamendin et al. (1) proposed a technique to estimate age at death for adults by analyzing single-rooted teeth. They expressed age as a function of two factors: translucency of the tooth root and periodontosis (gingival regression). In their study, they analyzed 306 singled rooted teeth that were extracted at autopsy from 208 individuals of known age at death, all of whom were considered as having a French ancestry. Their sample consisted of 135 males, 73 females, 198 whites, and 10 blacks. The sample ranged in age from 22 to 90 years of age. By using a simple formulae (A _ 0.18 _ P _ 0.42 _ T _ 25.53, where A _ Age in years, P _ Periodontosis height _ 100/root height, and T _ Transparency height _ 100/root height), Lamendin et al. were able to estimate age at death ith a mean error of _ 10 years on their working sample and _ 8.4 years on a forensic control sample. Lamendin found this technique to work well with a French population, but did not test it outside of that sample area. This study tests the accuracy of this adult aging technique on a more diverse skeletal population, the Terry Collection housed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. Our sample consists of 400 teeth from 94 black females, 72 white females, 98 black males, and 95 white males, ranging from 25 to 99 years. Lamendin's technique was applied to this sample to test its applicability to a population not of French origin. Providing results from a diverse skeletal population will aid in establishing the validity of this method to be used in forensic cases, its ideal purpose. Our results suggest that Lamendin's method estimates age fairly accurately outside of the French sample yielding a mean error of 8.2 years, standard deviation 6.9 years, and standard error of the mean 0.34 years. In addition, when ancestry and sex are accounted for, the mean errors are reduced for each group (black females, white females, black males, and white males). Lamendin et al. reported an inter-observer error of 9 _1.8 and 10 _ 2 years from two independent observers. Forty teeth were randomly remeasured from the Terry Collection in order to assess an intra-observer error. From this retest, an intra-observer error of 6.5 years was detected.

This study reports results of a facial tissue depth measurements project conducted over a two-year period on a modern sample of children and adults of both sexes and varying ages and races. The purpose of this research was to increase available tissue depth data for children and update facial tissue depth measurements for American adults. Most volunteers for this project were patients or visitors to the pediatric clinic at the Louisiana State University Medical Center, School of Dentistry, in New Orleans, Using state-of-the-art ultrasound technology, we scanned 551 children and 256 adults at 19 points across the face. Thirteen of the scanned points were traditional landmarks while six others were areas not measured by previous researchers or were points for which very little data exist for both children and adults. For this presentation, we analyzed data for 515 children and 197 adults. Results of Pearson's correlations, analysis of variance, and paired t-tests indicate that age, sex, and race are significant factors when considering tissue depth means for different measurement locations across the human face. These new standards are compared to the work of other researchers. Our results provide valuable assistance in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional facial reproductions and superimpositions.

Problems recently discovered in the Kerley method of estimating age at death from cortical microstructure are discussed. Kerley's original data have been re-analyzed to produce new regression equations and to document the original field size.

When analyzing human adult skeletal remains, it is often difficult to decide whether a single aging method will give a more reliable age estimation than a combination of methods. This study evaluates four macroscopic indicators for age estimation on 218 American White and Black individuals, ranging in age from 25 to 90 years of age, from the Terry collection. Individuals in the sample were selected to have a balanced race, sex, and age distribution. The following aging methods were applied to each skeleton by one experienced observer: the Suchey-Brooks (SB) pubic symphysis method, the Lovejoy auricular surface method, the monoradicular teeth Lamendin (LM) method, and the Işcan (IC) method for fourth ribs. The statistical study involved the evaluation of inaccuracy and bias (based on median age) for each age indicator and the combination of methods using Principal component analysis (PCA). Analysis was performed on the entire sample, then by race, then sex, and then age group (25-40 years, 41-60 years, and >60 years). PCA was the most accurate method for both racial groups when all age groups are analyzed together. When the sample was divided into age groups, SB was the most accurate for young adults (25-40 years) and LM was the most accurate for middle adults (41-60 years). After the age of 60, all methods are highly inaccurate, although IC gives the lowest inaccuracy. As regards bias, the study highlights the tendency of all methods to overestimate the age of young individuals and to underestimate in the older age group. No single skeletal indicator of age at death is ever likely to reflect accurately the many factors that accumulate with chronological age. In fact, one must use as many dental and skeletal indicators as possible. However, in order to maximize the potential of each method, in the final evaluation one should consider mainly the method or methods that have a higher accuracy for a particular age range.

We use cookies, including third party cookies, to provide you with the best possible browsing experience. To learn more about cookies and our privacy practices, please review our privacy policy with updates effective May 25, 2018.

Different approaches to the estimation of age at death in mature human skeletal remains were evaluated utilizing samples from 19 recent French autopsy individuals of known age at death. Methods of estimating age at death from single-rooted teeth, the sternal ends of the fourth ribs, the symphyseal face of the pubis and femoral cortical remodeling were evaluated by two independent observers (three observers for the teeth). Comparison included ages estimated from three more comprehensive approaches utilizing data from the application of two or more of the individual methods. The results indicate that the comprehensive approaches are superior to the individual ones and the success of the latter reflects not only the morphological expression of the aging process, but also the technique complexity and the experience of the investigator. Of the individual techniques, the “Lamendin” dental technique was most effective for individuals of ages greater than 25 years.