NCJ Number
223386
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 53 Issue: 3 Dated: May 2008 Pages: 608-611
Date Published
May 2008
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Given concerns about the impact of regional and population variation on the accuracy of age-at-death estimates based on dental characteristics, this study used three dental methods for estimating age-at-death from intact single-rooted teeth for a diverse sample of 100 individuals from Peru (28 females and 72 males).
Abstract
Of the three methods tested on the Peruvian sample, the Prince and Ubelaker study based on the American sample provided the most accurate estimates of age-at-death for the Peruvians; however, an equation developed from the Peruvian sample itself produced the most accurate results and now is the method of choice in application to individuals from similar populations. In 2002, Prince and Ubelaker applied the Lamendin et al. dental method for estimating age-at-death to the Terry Collection at the Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC). They found that in spite of the difference between the French (Lamendin sample) and American samples, the mean error was slightly lower in the application to the American sample and could be further reduced with consideration for sex and ancestry. The Lamendin method uses two dental criteria, the extent of root translucency and periodontosis height on the labial surfaces of intact single-rooted teeth. The current study with the Peruvian sample compared the accuracy of the Prince and Ubelaker method, the Lamendin method, and the Bang and Ramm method. The key study by Bang and Ramm involved the assessment of dental-age changes from both intact teeth and dental sections, using root transparency as well as the criteria used by Prince and Ubelaker and Lamendin et al. Mean errors of estimation for all three approaches were similar to those reported in the original studies, suggesting minimal impact of population variation for the dental features measured. 5 tables, 1 figure, and 27 references