Dental Age estimation using pulp:tooth ratio of permanent maxillary central incisors: An Intraoral periapical radiographic method

Abstract

Introduction: Dental age estimation can be used for various scenarios like verificationand identification of victims, in refugees and immigrants from other countries withdisputed birth records, etc. Various methods for estimation of dental age have been recognized, which include morphological, histological,radiographic and biochemical methods. The radiographic method is non-invasive and easier to perform. Aim: To compare the Pulp:Tooth ratio in permanent maxillary central incisors and correlate the actual age with that of the estimated age, using intra-oral periapical radiographs(IOPA’s) of selected cases from South Indian population. Materials and methodology: Archival intra-oral periapical radiographs of thirty adult South Indian origins (Males = 19 andFemales = 11), withan age range between 21 to 43 years were selected. All the IOPA’s were plotted in GNU image manipulation program 2.8 (GIMP) softwareand the tooth and pulp area were measured. Data was subjected to correlation and regression analysis of maxillary central incisor with actual age. Results: Gender-wise comparisonof theestimated age using pulp:tooth ratio, with that of the actual age showed it to be 28.26 ± 7.13in males and 34.27 ± 7.80in females, respectively.The pulp tooth ratio in males was 0.30 ± 0.12 and in females, it was 0.20 ± 0.00.Comparison of the estimated age using Pulp:tooth ratio, with that of the actual age was statistically significantbetween males and females.Regression analysis of the actual age with that of estimated age values using Pulp:tooth ratio,showed statistical significance (p≤0.05). Conclusion: Intraoral periapical radiographicmethodin Maxillary central incisors,can be a less expensive, non- invasive technique, which can be performed in living individuals and it can be used as an effective technique for dental age estimation. Keywords: Dental ageestimation; Intraoral periapical radiograph, Maxillary central incisor; Pulp:tooth ratio