Abstract

Background: Age is one of the prime factors employed to establish the identity of an individual and the use of teeth for this purpose has been considered reliable. The measurement of reduction in pulpal width with advancing age due to secondary dentin deposition can been used as indicators of age.

Aim: To estimate the age of patients using pulpal width of permanent maxillary central incisors and to assess reliability of estimated age based on pulpal width of permanent maxillary central incisors with that of chronological age.

Materials and methods: 240 subjects aged between 20–50 years,with equal gender distribution were included in the study. Digital intraoral periapical radiography (Charge- coupled device sensor) of maxillary central incisors with paralleling angle technique were made for all study subjects and pulpal cavity width was measured at Cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) , midpoint between CEJ and midroot level, midroot level using Planmeca Romexis software. Regression analysis was carried out to obtain the estimated age using pulpal width. Results: The mean estimated age showed no statistical difference from the chronological age in both males and females (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Pulp width serves as a good indicator for age estimation in forensic odontology.

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