Tooth Coronal Index: A Novel Tool For Age Estimation on Cone-Beam Computed Tomography

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate dental age assessment reliability through Tooth Coronal Index (TCI) method. Material and Methods: The cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of 160 individuals aged between 20-70 years were analyzed in the present study. The height of the crown, i.e., coronal height, and the height of the coronal pulp cavity, i.e., coronal pulp cavity height, of mandibular second premolars and first molars were calculated and then TCI was measured. The actual age of a subject was compared with TCI of tooth and the acquired data were subjected to Pearson's correlation and unpaired t-tests. Results: Negative correlation was observed between the real age and TCI of mandibular first molar (r = -0.094, p=0.382) and second premolar (r = -0.176, p=0.0961. Statistically significant difference was observed between actual age and TCI for mandibular second premolar and first molar (p<0.001). Conclusion: Tooth coronal index has the potential to estimate age of an individual on CBCT scans. It is simple, cost-effective than histological methods and can be applied to both living and unknown dead.

Tooth and Bone Parameters in the Assessment of the Chronological Age of Children and Adolescents Using Neural Modelling Methods

“…Most recent work on metric age assessment is based on traditional, atlas-based methods [61,62]. There are also works on adult age assessment [63][64][65]. It seems that the challenge of the 21st century is to develop modern tools that would allow measurements and classifications to be made automatically.…”