title: Accuracy of Cameriere's cut-off value for third molar in assessing 18 years of age.
abstract: Due to increasingly numerous international migrations, estimating the age of unaccompanied minors is becoming of enormous significance for forensic professionals who are required to deliver expert opinions. The third molar tooth is one of the few anatomical sites available for estimating the age of individuals in late adolescence. This study verifies the accuracy of Cameriere's cut-off value of the third molar index (I3M) in assessing 18 years of age. For this purpose, a sample of orthopantomographs (OPTs) of 397 living subjects aged between 13 and 22 years (192 female and 205 male) was analyzed. Age distribution gradually decreases as I3M increases in both males and females. The results show that the sensitivity of the test was 86.6%, with a 95% confidence interval of (80.8%, 91.1%), and its specificity was 95.7%, with a 95% confidence interval of (92.1%, 98%). The proportion of correctly classified individuals was 91.4%. Estimated post-test probability, p was 95.6%, with a 95% confidence interval of (92%, 98%). Hence, the probability that a subject positive on the test (i.e., I3M<0.08) was 18 years of age or older was 95.6%.
authors.affiliation: AgEstimation Project, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Macerata, Macerata, Italy. Electronic address: sluca@ugr.es.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.affiliation: Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico - Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences - Unit of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry - University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Biagi
authors.affiliation: Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico - Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences - Unit of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry - University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Begnoni
authors.affiliation: Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico - Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences - Unit of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry - University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Farronato
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Macerata, Macerata, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cingolani
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense (LABANOF), Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Merelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marches, Ancona, Italy; AgEstimation Project, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Macerata, Macerata, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.affiliation: AgEstimation Project, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Macerata, Macerata, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cameriere
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000366:Age Determination by Teeth / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Age estimation; Cut-off; Forensic sciences; Third molar; Unaccompanied minor