title: Age estimation using pulp/tooth area ratio in maxillary canines-A digital image analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Determination of age of a subject is one of the most important aspects of medico-legal cases and anthropological research. Radiographs can be used to indirectly measure the rate of secondary dentine deposition which is depicted by reduction in the pulp area.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 200 patients of Karnataka aged between 18-72 years were selected for the study. Panoramic radiographs were made and indirectly digitized. Radiographic images of maxillary canines (RIC) were processed using a computer-aided drafting program (ImageJ). The variables pulp/root length (p), pulp/tooth length (r), pulp/root width at enamel-cementum junction (ECJ) level (a), pulp/root width at mid-root level (c), pulp/root width at midpoint level between ECJ level and mid-root level (b) and pulp/tooth area ratio (AR) were recorded. All the morphological variables including gender were statistically analyzed to derive regression equation for estimation of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was observed that 2 variables 'AR' and 'b' contributed significantly to the fit and were included in the regression model, yielding the formula: Age = 87.305-480.455(AR)+48.108(b). Statistical analysis indicated that the regression equation with selected variables explained 96% of total variance with the median of the residuals of 0.1614 years and standard error of estimate of 3.0186 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is significant correlation between age and morphological variables 'AR' and 'b' and the derived population specific regression equation can be potentially used for estimation of chronological age of individuals of Karnataka origin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, School of Dental Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Manjushree
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juneja
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, M. S. Ramaiah Dental College and Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Yashoda B K
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Devi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, M. S. Ramaiah Dental College and Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rakesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, I.T.S. Centre for Dental Sciences and Research, Ghaziabad, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Saurabh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Juneja
keywords: Forensic science; panoramic radiograph; pulp/tooth area