NCJ Number
182151
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 45 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2000 Pages: 303-309
Date Published
March 2000
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This investigation tested the accuracy of a new scoring system for recording tooth wear for age estimation.
Abstract
The material consisted of dental stone casts of 383 volunteers who had sound premolars and molars with normal occlusion. The degree of occlusal wear for all premolar and molar teeth was scored with the new system. The high intra- and inter-examiner concordances showed that the new score system was very reliable. The degree of tooth wear showed a significant positive correlation with age in each and every examined tooth of both male and female. Tooth-wear scores of males were higher than those of females. Calculating tables for age estimation were designed, and the accuracy of age estimation was obtained with the General Linear Models procedures. This system could provide estimation of an individual's age within plus-or-minus 3 years in 42.4 percent of males and 49.4 percent of females and within plus-or-minus 5 years in 61.8 percent of males and 63.3 percent of females. When the subjects were divided into two age groups and data were re-treated, the accuracy of age estimation was increased. Collectively, it was shown that the new system for scoring tooth wear is a reliable and accurate method for age estimation. 12 tables and 30 references