Three-dimensional surface area analyses of developing maxillary second premolar root apices for age estimation using CBCT images

• Published in: LEGAL MEDICINE
• Main Authors: Gohain, Meghna; Asif, Muhammad Khan; Nambiar, Phrabhakaran; Noor, Nora Sakina Mohd; Reduwan, Nor Hidayah; Ibrahim, Norliza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD 2024
• Subjects: Legal Medicine; Biomedical Social Sciences
• Online Access: https://www-webofscience-com.uitm.idm.oclc.org/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001164478300001

Three-dimensional surface area analyses of developing root apices for age estimation in children and young adults have shown promising results. The current study aimed to apply this three-dimensional method to develop a regression model for estimating age in Malaysian children aged 7 to 14 using developing maxillary second premolars. A training sample of 155 cone-beam computed tomography scans (83 Malays and 72 Chinese) was analysed, and the formula was subsequently validated on an independent sample of 92 cone-beam computed tomography scans (45 Malays and 47 Chinese). The results showed a strong correlation (r = 94 %) between the chronological age as a dependent variable and the predictor variables, including root surface area of the apex, sex, ethnicity, and root development status (open/closed apices). For this model, the predictor variables accounted for 88.4 % of the variation in age except sex and ethnicity. A mean absolute error value of 0.42 indicated that this model can be reliably used for Malaysian children. In conclusion, this study recognises the method of three-dimensional surface area analyses as a valuable tool for age estimation in forensic and clinical practice. Further studies are highly recommended to assess its effectiveness across different demographic groups.