Age estimation from physiological changes of teeth by Gustafson's method

Abstract

Age determination is crucial in medicolegal cases. Various factors are considered for determination of age, out of which teeth are the most durable structures in human body which are better preserved even in the acidic soil. In many archaeological sites and forensic cases, teeth are the only available human remains for the identification and age determination purpose. We conducted this study to know the changes in teeth with advancement of age. In our study, 80 cases in the age group of 26-70 years were studied, out of which 58 were men and 22 women. The six physiological changes in teeth, viz. attrition, periodontosis, secondary dentin deposition, root translucency, cementum apposition and root resorption, were studied with each parameter having score ranging from 0 to 3. Total score was calculated by adding the scores of all the six physiological factors. The regression analysis was done by plotting the total score allotted against the actual age of the person. This regression line was used to derive the regression formula which came out as y = 3.71 x + 16.03 and from this, age of the person was calculated. The average age difference between known and estimated age in this study was found to be ±4.43 years.