NCJ Number
223881
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 53 Issue: 4 Dated: July 2008 Pages: 904-909
Date Published
July 2008
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study conducted a morphometric analysis of the root development of the third molar in order to overcome the limits of an exclusively morphological analysis.
Abstract
The findings support the advantage of a morphometric study as opposed to an exclusively morphological study of the stages of maturation of the third molars. The results showed a significant difference according to the subject’s age and the limit values, lower and upper, to subjects ages 16 and 17 years old compared to those ages 18 and 19 years old. The values of the ratios in females, both for the upper and the lower limits were invariably lower than the values for males, in accordance with other research in this field. This confirms that the development of the third molars, unlike that of other dental elements, occurs earlier in males than in females. Findings also support the use of digital technology compared to traditional measurements, both with reference to better image definition and the possibility of applying, with the appropriate software, a standardized method of crown and root measurement. The study was divided into two phases. The first phase was the verification of the existence of a constant crown-root (C/R) ratio on a sample of 100 third molars characterized by a complete root development. The value obtained was used in the second phase of the study to predict the final root’s length, knowing the crown height. Statistical analysis was conducted with 90 percent, 95 percent, and 99 percent confidence levels. The authors caution that all techniques used to determine the age of a living subject can provide only indications of the biological age, which may not translate into an accurate chronological age, given variabilities in human development. 5 tables, 4 figures, and 14 references