Exploring the relationship between age and the pulp and tooth size in canines. A CBCT analysis

Abstract

Radiographic methods using pulp tooth volume ratio (PTVR) are important for dental age estimation. According to previous studies, using PTVR possess different relationships with age in males and females but none of the studies have used a homogenous (approximately equal numbers of individuals in each age range) age distribution to assess this relationship and the effect of sex as predictor on age estimation.This study was performed on Cone beam computed tomography images of 521 left maxillary and 681 left mandibular canines of 719 subjects of Pakistani origin (368 females and 349 males) aged from 15-65 years. Planmeca Romexis® software was used to trace the outline of the pulp cavity and tooth and to calculate respective volumes. Subsequently, Microsoft®Office Excel 2016 was used to calculate the ratios.Regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between PTVR factoring sex in as a predictor for age estimation. The obtained results showed that including sex as predictor with maxillary PTVR (R 2 =0.46) have the highest predictive power. The relationship between maxillary PTVR including sex with chronological age demonstrates a non-linear relationship.The conclusion is that including sex as predictor with maxillary PTVR produced the best estimate of chronological age.

Age Estimation Using Maxillary Central Incisor Analysis on Cone Beam Computed Tomography Human Images

“…While some authors report a low capacity for age estimation [ 11 , 28 , 34 , 36 , 39 , 40 ], others report equations with good R 2 and SEE values [ 19 , 20 , 37 , 38 ], showing that CBCT can be as useful as CT [ 26 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ], or micro-CT [ 18 , 22 , 31 , 32 ]. Various methods involving ratios of dental linear measurements have been employed on CBCT for age estimation, e.g., Kwaal’s method [ 45 , 46 ], Cameriere’s pulp tooth area ratio [ 19 , 20 , 37 , 43 ], pulp to tooth volume ratio [ 31 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ], pulp volume [ 11 , 38 ], and chamber volume [ 29 , 30 , 51 , 52 ]. The equations obtained in the present study using linear measurements and ratios yield acceptable R 2 and SEE values.…”

“…Good age estimation has been reported using CBCT for different teeth such as maxillary canines [ 19 , 20 , 38 , 42 , 44 ], mandibular canines [ 42 , 44 ], maxillary lateral incisors [ 49 ], maxillary second premolars [ 45 ], maxillary and mandibular first molars [ 29 , 53 ], and maxillary and mandibular second molars [ 51 ]. However, most research has been based on uniradicular teeth [ 11 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 28 , 35 , 37 , 38 ], specifically upper central incisors [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 54 , 55 , 56 ] and canines [ 11 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 25 , 34 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 47 ]. We have chosen to use the upper central incisor because its pulp has a simple anatomy, considerable size, and few anatomic variations, making it easier to measure than posterior teeth [ 2 ].…”

Pulp volume quantification methods in cone‐beam computed tomography for age estimation: A critical review and meta‐analysis

“…In most studies, the measurement of the pulp volume/tooth volume ratio was performed for age estimation [7,10,12,15,17,[25][26][27][28]32,33,36]. In three studies, only pulp volume measurement was performed [9,13,31].…”

“…Therefore, in view of the increasing literature that propose pulp volume evaluation for age estimation [7,[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17], and the possibility of the use of this method on forensic dentistry, an analysis of methodological aspects that may influence the accuracy of age estimation through pulp volume is required to establish recommendations for its correct use. Thus, the aim of this critical review is to synthesize the available evidence in the literature and to analyze the main technical aspects related to this evaluation, such as image resolution, type of image segmentation, tooth type, and pulp volume assessment methods.…”

Regressive changes of crown‐root morphology and their volumetric segmentation for adult dental age estimation

“…The most common approach quantifies the ratio between pulp and tooth volumes (PTV) [15]. In this approach, the whole volume of the pulp is calculated and divided by the volume of the tooth [16]. Although the PTV method provides a more reliable dental age estimation outcome [15], specific age‐related changes will be ignored when the whole tooth volumetric information is not segmented.…”