Three-dimensional Modeling of the Various Volumes of Canines to Determine Age and Sex: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Canines are usually used in anthropological and forensic sciences for sex and age determination. The best methods to estimate age are based on secondary dentine apposition, evaluated from periapical X-rays. The aim of this study was to propose a new method of sex and age estimation using 3D models to obtain more precise predictions using tooth volumes. Fifty-eight dental CT scans of patients aged 14-74 with a well-balanced sex ratio composed the sample. One hundred and thirty-three healthy canines were modeled (Mimics 12.0). The sample was divided into a training sample and a validation sample. An age formula was determined using the "pulp volume/tooth volume" ratio. Sex prediction was adjusted with total volumes. Applying the equations to the validation sample, no significant difference was found between the real and predicted ages, and 100% of the sex predictions were correct. This preliminary study gives interesting results, and this method is worth being tested on a larger data sample.

Sex assessment using measurements of the first lumbar vertebra

“…Many researchers have used the CT scan and 3D model measurements to estimate sex and have found that many human bones display sexual dimorphism [3,8,11,[17][18][19]. A number of clinical studies also have demonstrated that CT can provide more accurate and reliable measurements of regions of interests than plain film radiography [20,21].…”

A new age estimation procedure based on the 3D CBCT study of the pulp cavity and hard tissues of the teeth for forensic purposes: A pilot study

“…This method has a significantly shorter processing time when compared with the one-hour needed for the method proposed Tardivo's procedure, however, relies on CT scan analysis, that has higher costs, and implies higher radiation exposure than CBCT. In agreement with Tardivo et al (24) the ratio of dental volumes (PHr) in our study is assumed as variable since it is less dependent on subjective technical ability compared with the simple measurements of tooth tissues or dental features proposed in many other studies (25). Additionally, a ratio tends to neutralize any errors due to X-rays distortions or magnification rates automatically provided by the radiological software employed for CBCT elaboration.…”

“…Consistently with previous studies (12,(16)(17)(18)(19)(23)(24)(25) the upper maxillary central incisor was chosen to estimate age through the pulp volume decreasing due to individual ageing.…”

Morphology and Volume of Maxillary Canine Pulp Cavity for Individual Age Estimation in Forensic Dentistry

“…The dental age can be slightly influenced by nutrition, environment and life style. Thus, the inference of dental age has high reliability and unique significance in individual recognition (Someda et al, 2009;Aboshi et al, 2010;Tardivo et al, 2011). With age, secondary dentin and reparative dentin continue to deposit, so many scholars select secondary dentin deposition as an age-related research indicator, but this study can only be carried out on the corpse (Bommannavar & Kulkarni, 2015;Chopra et al, 2015;Kaur, et al, 2015;Klumb et al, 2016).…”