Cementum Annulations as a Tool for Age Estimation In Forensic Odontology

Abstract

Estimating age at death is a key element in the process of human identification of remains of the Skeleton. It is a
vital process of forensic aspect of dentistry. Cementum annulation technique is one of the key techniques to estimate the age
of a person atier death. Recent research shows that this technique of tooth cementum annulations (TCA) may be used more
reliably than any other morphological or histological traits of adult skeleton for age estimation.
Aim: The purpose of this study is to estimate the age of the subject using tooth cementum annulation method by
incremental lines present in the cementum.
Materials and Methods: The study consisted of the sample of twenty teeth that had been extracted from the patients
ranging in the age of 20-70 years. Longitudinal ground sections of each tooth were cut and was examined under the
microscope. The images were then zoomed / magnified on the computer and the number of dark lines were counted. The
mid root region was selected for counting the annulations. The counted cementum lines for each tooth were then added to
the eruption age of the tooth to estimate the age of the patient.
Results: There was found a strong positive correlation between the estimated age and the calculated age of the person when
examined under the microscope. This proves that cementum annulations can help give an accurate estimation of the
persons age irrespective of the sex, age, periodontal disease etc.
Conclusion: With this study we were able to conclude that counting the incremental lines can improve the accuracy of age
estimation, in turn helping the process of forensic profiling of the subject.