Cementum as an age determinant: A forensic view

Abstract

Context:Forensic age estimation (FAE) defines an expertise in forensic medicine, which aims to define in the most accurate way to determine the unknown chronological age of the person involved in judicial or legal proceedings. Dental cementum is a vital tissue which demonstrates continuous apposition throughout the life of the tooth. This appositional changes of cementum helps in approximation of age inforensic investigations.Aims:To correlate age by measuring the overlap or coronal migration of thecementum at thecementoenamel junction (CEJ) and the thickness of the cementum at the apical third of the root.Settings and Design:A hundred freshly extracted teethfrom patients ranging from ages 17-55were longitudinal buccolingually ground sectioned using a mounted lathe wheel and Arkansas stone.Materials and Methods:100 freshly extracted teeth of age group ranging from 17-55 years were taken. These teeth were longitudinally ground sectioned to a thickness of 8-10μm using a mounted lathe wheel and Arkansas stone. Afterwards the teeth were examined under a light microscope using a micrometer eyepiece for measuring the overlap or coronal migration of the cementum at the CEJ and the thickness of the cementum at the apical one-third of root.Statistical Analysis:Measurements of the overlap or the coronal migration of the cementum at the CEJ and the thickness of the cementum at the apical one-third of the root are correlated with age.Results:Results of the study indicated that the cementum at the CEJ migrated coronally during theaging process in case of the impacted teeth. There is also a significant increase in the thickness of the cementum at the apical onethird of rootin the case of both the impacted and erupted teeth.Conclusion:Approximation of age by measuring overlap or coronal migration of the cementum at the CEJ and the thickness of the cementum at the apical one-third of the rootsets new alleys in FAE.

Age estimation using impacted mandibular third molar teeth in Kerala population

“…In contradictory to this, a study done by Balwant et al in 2006 andRaju et al in 2016 in erupted mandibular third molar teeth, found no significant correlation between age and coronal displacement of cementum in erupted teeth because erupted teeth were found to be directly exposed to external environmental factors (Rai et al, 2006;Raju et al, 2016).…”

A Mouse Model for Studying the Development of Apical Periodontitis with Age

“…In these groups the adults presented a significantly higher volume of PDL region compared to the young. This is possibly due to cementum deposition occurring with age [ 22 ] causing an increase in the mesio-distal aspect of the adult teeth in the apical area. Buco-lingual cementum deposition does not affect our result because we analyzed the same number of slices for all teeth on the buco-lingual aspect.…”

Dental Radiographic/Digital Radiography Technology along with Biological Agents in Human Identification

“…Cementochronology is a potent method for directly evaluating the chronological age and determining the season at death [ 48 ]. The apical areas of cementum are thicker than parts at the CEJ, and its shape and texture are stable within an individual's life [ 49 ]. The underlying mechanism is the racemization reaction of aspartic acid in a constant manner [ 50 ] that produces a connective tissue in the form of incremental layers surrounding tooth roots and creates an appearance of concentric lines [ 51 ].…”