Tooth cementum annulation for age estimation: Results from a large known‐age validation study

Abstract

Recent research indicates that tooth-cementum annulations (TCA) may be used more reliably than other morphological or histological traits of the adult skeleton to estimate age. Until now, however, confidence intervals for age estimated by this method have not been available for paleodemographic and forensic applications. The present study addresses this problem. Based on a large known-age sample, age estimates by TCA were conducted in a blind study involving 363 teeth. Tooth-root cross sections were made using a refined preparation technique. Improved digital graphic procedures and enhancement strategies were used to produce digital images with a specially adapted software package. This resulted in high concordance between the TCA age estimates and chronological age. Assessment of the method's accuracy, as expressed by 95% confidence intervals, showed that error bounds for age estimates do not exceed 2.5 years. Sex differences, intraindividual correlations, and the effects of periodontal disease were studied. None of these indicators had a quantitative effect on the number of TCA bands when the proposed methodological standard was followed. We conclude that the TCA technique is a reliable method for estimating a subject's age from cementum annulations.

The (mis)use of adult age estimates in osteology

“…Once skeletal maturity has been reached, age is typically estimated using degenerative changes of the skeleton, dental wear and (less frequently) microscopic analysis of bone and cementum. All of these, except tooth cementum annulations, have only a broad relationship with chronological age (Gauthier and Schutkowski 2013;Grosskopf and McGlynn 2011;Naji et al early view;Wittwer-Backofen et al 2004). Most skeletal indicators of adult age have been shown to vary between individuals and between populations, reflecting the complexity of the ageing process and the myriad of factors that may influence it (see Mays, this volume and Jackes 2000).…”

Paleohistology and the study of human remains: past, present and future approaches

“…Dental histological techniques have been developed on the basis of the study of secondary dentin formation, cementum annulation (e.g. Charles et al, 1986;Wittwer-Backofen et al, 2004;Maat et al, 2006a;Roksandic et al 2009), striae of Retzius in enamel and daily cross striations (e.g. FitzGerald and Saunders, 2005;Martin et al, 2008), and root dentine translucency (e.g.…”

Estimativa de idade através das linhas incrementais de cemento

“…Como reflexo desta condição, observa-se o grande número de lâminas rejeitadas (n=24) neste e em outros trabalhos (Wittwer-Backofen et al, 2004;Wedel, 2007). Os resultados com menor correlação relatados na literatura (Lipsinic et al, 1986;Lucas;Loh, 1986;Miller et al, 1988;Radlanski, 2006) A observação das lâminas em microscopia polarizada não mostrou boa diferenciação entre as LC, ao contrário de outros estudos (Lieberman, 1994;Wedel, 2007;Aggarwal et al, 2008;Kasetty et al, 2010 Fleiss (1986).…”

“…Por minimizar a sobreposição tangencial de LC, os cortes do segundo tipo produzirão mais contraste entre linhas incrementais claras e escuras. D=dentina,TCA=LC (extraído de Maat et al, 2006) Quando um corte transversal à raiz é feito perpendicular ao longo eixo do dente, a sobreposição tangencial das camadas de cemento dificulta sua visualização e favorece a ocorrência do fenômeno de duplicação relatado em outros estudos (Kagerer;Grupe, 2001;Wittwer-Backofen et al, 2004;Maat et al, 2006;Radlanski, 2006 enquanto o indicador estabiliza a lâmina aplicando leve pressão contra a primeira.…”

“…Embora seja uma técnica que destrói a raiz dentária, é aplicável em todos os tipos de dentes, e não há diferenças no padrão de formação anelar entre os gêneros masculino e feminino, de acordo com alguns autores (Jankauskas et al, 2001;Wittwer-Backofen et al, 2004 Recobrindo a superfície radicular, o cemento tem composição semelhante ao tecido ósseo embora não tenha vasos sanguíneos e sistemas harvesianos. É formado a partir da bainha radicular epitelial de Hertwig.…”