Abstract
Radiological assessment of the mineralization stage of third molars is a major criterion for age estimation of living people involved in criminal proceedings. To date insufficient knowledge has been obtained about how the ethnic origin can influence tooth mineralization. A comparative study of wisdom tooth mineralization was carried out on three population samples: one German, one Japanese and one South African. To this end, 3,652 conventional orthopantomograms were evaluated on the basis of Demirjian’s stages. The Japanese subjects were on average 1–2 years older than their German counterparts upon reaching stages D–F, whereas the South African subjects were on average 1–2 years younger than the Germans when displaying stages D–G. To enhance the accuracy of forensic age estimates based on wisdom tooth mineralization we recommend the use of population-specific standards.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Byers SN, Churchill SE, Curran B (1997) Identification of Euro-Americans, Afro-Americans, and Ameridians from palatal dimensions. J Forensic Sci 42:3–9
Cavalli-Sforza LL, Menozzi P, Piazza A (1994) The history and geography of human genes. Princeton University Press, Princeton
Daito M, Tanaka M, Hieda T (1992) Clinical observations on the development of third molars. J Osaka Dent Univ 26:91–104
Demirjian A (1986) Dentition. In: Falkner F, Tanner JM (eds) Human growth. Academic Press, New York, pp 269–298
Demirjian A, Goldstein H, Tanner JM (1973) A new system of dental age assessment. Hum Biol 45:221–227
Dünkel F, Kalmthout A van, Schüler-Springorum H (1997) Entwicklungstendenzen und Reformstrategien im Jugendstrafrecht im europäischen Vergleich. Forum, Mönchengladbach
Fanning EA (1962) Third molar emergence in Bostonians. Am J Phys Anthropol 20:339–346
Gleiser I, Hunt EE (1955) The permanent mandibular first molar; its calcification, eruption and decay. Am J Phys Anthropol 13:253–284
Gorgani N, Sullivan RE, DuBois L (1990) A radiographic investigation of third-molar development. ASDC J Dent Child 57:106–110
Gravely JF (1965) A radiographic survey of third molar development. Br Dent J 119:397–401
Haavikko K (1970) The formation and the alveolar and clinical eruption of the permanent teeth. Suom Hammaslääk Toim 66:103–170
Hägg U, Matsson L (1985) Dental maturity as an indicator of chronological age: the accuracy and precision of three methods. Eur J Orthod 7:25–34
Harris EF, McKee JH (1990) Tooth mineralisation standards for Blacks and Whites from the middle southern United States. J Forensic Sci 35:859–872
Köhler S, Schmelzle R, Loitz C, Püschel K (1994) Die Entwicklung des Weisheitszahnes als Kriterium der Lebensalterbestimmung. Ann Anat 176:339–345
Krumholt L, Roed-Petersen B, Pindborg JJ (1971) Eruption times of the permanent teeth in 622 Ugandan children. Arch Oral Biol 16:1281–1288
Kullman L, Johanson G, Akesson L (1992) Root development of the lower third molar and its relation to chronological age. Swed Dent J 16:161–167
Mincer HH, Harris EF, Berryman HE (1993) The A.B.F.O. study of third molar development and its use as an estimator of chronological age. J Forensic Sci 38:379–390
Moorrees CFA, Fanning EA, Hunt EE (1963) Age variation of formation stages for ten permanent teeth. J Dent Res 42:1490–1502
Ohtani S, Ito R, Yamamoto T (2003) Differences in the D/L aspartic acid ratios in dentin among different types of teeth from the same individual and estimated age: Int J Legal Med 117:149–152
Pöyry M, Nyström M, Ranta R (1986) Comparison of two tooth formation rating methods. Proc Finn Dent Soc 82:127–133
Rantanen AV (1967) The age of eruption of the third molar teeth. Acta Odontol Scand 25 [Suppl]:1–86
Ritz-Timme S, Laumeier I, Collins M (2003) Age estimation based on aspartic acid racemization in elastin from the yellow ligaments. Int J Legal Med 117:96–101
Schmeling A, Reisinger W, Loreck D, Vendura K, Markus W, Geserick G (2000) Effects of ethnicity on skeletal maturation: consequences for forensic age estimations. Int J Legal Med 113:253–258
Schmeling A, Kaatsch H-J, Marré B et al. (2001a). Empfehlungen für die Altersdiagnostik bei Lebenden im Strafverfahren. Rechtsmedizin 11:1-3
Schmeling A, Olze A, Reisinger W, Geserick G (2001b) Age estimation of living people undergoing criminal proceedings. Lancet 358:89–90
Schmeling A, Schulz R, Reisinger W, Mühler M, Wernecke K-D, Geserick G (2004) Studies on the time frame for ossification of the medial clavicular epiphyseal cartilage in conventional radiography. Int J Legal Med 118:5–8
Takasaki T, Tsuji A, Ikeda N, Ohishi M (2003) Age estimation in dental pulp DNA based on human telomere shortening. Int J Legal Med 117:232–234
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SCHM 1609/1–1).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Olze, A., Schmeling, A., Taniguchi, M. et al. Forensic age estimation in living subjects: the ethnic factor in wisdom tooth mineralization. Int J Legal Med 118, 170–173 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-004-0434-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-004-0434-7