Una Tecnica De Estimacion De La Edad

T ECHNICAL NOTE
H . Lamendin, 1 D.D.S., Ph. D., E. Baccino, 2 M . D . ,
J. F. Humbert, 1 Ph.D., J. C. Tavernier, 3 D.D.S.,
R. M. Nossintchouk, 3 D. O.S., Ph.D., and A . Zerilli, 2 D . D . S .

A Simple Technique for Age Estimation in Adult
Corpses: The Two Criteria Dental Method

C., N ossintchouk,
R. M., and Zerilli, A., "A Simple Technique far Age Estimation in Adult Corpses: The TwoCriteria Dental Method," Journal of Forensic Sciences, J FSCA, Vol. 37, No. 5, Sept. 1992,
pp. 1373-1379.
R EFERENCE: L amendin, H., Baccino, E., Humbert, J. F., Tavernier, J.

A BSTRACT: A m ethod for age determination of adults from single rooted teeth is presented.

It is based on the measurement of two dental features: periodontosis height times 100/root
height (P) and transparency ofthe root height times 100/root height (T). These measurements
are made on the labial surface of the entire tooth without section and do not require special
equipment or training. The application of multiple regression analysis to a working sample
of 306 teeth of known age, sex and race provided the following equation: Age (years) =
0.18 • P + 0.42 • T + 25.53. The mean error between the actualand estimated age was
+- 10 years on the working sample and _+ 8.4 years on a control sample made of 45 forensic
science cases. Upper incisors showed a better precision than the other single rooted teeth
and accuracy was not sex related. A comparison of the Gustafson and Lamendin methods
on a control sample of 39 teeth resulted in an advantage of the latter considering the mean
error on theestimation (14.2 +- 3.4 years for Gustafson versus 8.9 _+ 2.2 for Lamendin).
The Lamendin method can be of practical interest for any forensic pathologist or dentist as
it is fast, easy to use, and reasonably accurate except for cases of individuals under age 40
where other methods must be preferred.
K EYWORDS: o dontology, age estimation, adults, dental method, transparency of the root,periodontosis
Since its publication in 1947 [1] and despite the criticisms it raised (sample size, subjective scoring, p o o r statistics and replicability) [2,3] t he Gustafson method, which uses
six features of dental microstructure, is still considered by most forensic science textbooks
as the reference dental m e t h o d of determining age at death in adults [4,5]. S everal authors
p r o p os e d significant improvements to the original technique, including a reduction in the
n u m b e r of variables [ 2,6-9], t he use of multiple regression analysis [2] and index values
based on actual physical measurements [6]. Unfortunately, m a j o r drawbacks still remain.
~Associate professor of biology and research assistant, Laboratoire de Biologic Cellulaire et
Animale, Facutt6 desSciences, Orleans.
2professor of forensic sciences and research assistant of forensic odontology, Unit6 de M6decine
L6gale, Service Sebileau, CHRU A. Morvan, Brest Cedex.
3professor of forensic odontology and research assistant, Laboratoire d'Odontologie L6gale (Sous
Section 56-03), Facult~ de Chirurgie Dentaire, Paris.
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Copyright © 1992 by ASTM International

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JOURNAL OFFORENSIC SCIENCES

T he microscopical examination of longitudinal thin sections requires the expertise of a
well-trained dental histologist [5]; moreover it results in the destruction of the tooth,
making re-examination by other methods impossible.
To overcome these disadvantages, we focused on two dental features: 1) translucency
of the root (T); and 2) periodontosis (P), which can be easilyobserved on the entire
tooth, measured and expressed as an index value by relating the measure to a fixed
measurement on the tooth (that is, height of the root (R). Multiple regression analysis
was applied to these variables and in order to test the accuracy of this simplified dental
method, the resulting equation for age determination was tested on a forensic sample
and compared to the...