AGE ESTIMATION BASED ON STAGES OF PERMANENT TOOTH MINERALIZATION: ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT TABLE FOR BRAZILIAN POPULATION

• Grant number: 24/15003-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Legal Medicine and Deontology
• Principal Investigator: Monica da Costa Serra
• Grantee: Aline Claudino e Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia (FOAr). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Forensic Dentistry utilizes dental evidence to assist Justice, particularly in age estimation, which is essential in victim identification cases and legal contexts such as sexual crimes and immigration. Age estimation based on dental mineralization stages is a widely recognized method, with various tables developed over the years by authors such as Nolla, Moorrees, Demirjian, and Willems. However, recent studies, like Kuhnen et al. (2023), highlight the need to adapt these tables for specific populations, such as the Brazilian population, due to genetic and environmental variations that influence dental development. This project aims to evaluate the efficacy and accuracy of the Kuhnen et al. table in estimating the age of Brazilian individuals. The research will use 500 digital panoramic radiographs of Brazilian individuals of both sexes, aged 2 to 25 years. The radiographic images of the permanent teeth will be assessed according to the degree of crown and root development, using the classification employed by Kuhnen et al. (2023). Each analyzed tooth will have its mineralization stage recorded. Subsequently, the age estimate for each individual will be calculated and compared to his/her chronological age. The results will undergo descriptive and inferential statistical analysis to verify the accuracy of the table across different age groups and between sexes. This study has the potential to enhance the application of this table in forensic and clinical contexts, contributing to more precise age estimations, with significant impact on Justice and Society. (AU)