Studying eruption patterns of mandibular third molars for forensic age assessment : introducing current reference data from a population of black South Africans

dc.contributor.authorTimme, Maximilian
dc.contributor.authorViktorov, Jan
dc.contributor.authorSteffens, Laurin
dc.contributor.authorStreeter, Adam
dc.contributor.authorKarch, Andre
dc.contributor.authorSmit, Chane
dc.contributor.authorRobinson, Liam
dc.contributor.authorBernitz, Herman
dc.contributor.authorSchmeling, Andreas
dc.date.accessioned2024-10-23T12:04:48Z
dc.date.available2024-10-23T12:04:48Z
dc.date.issued2024-09
dc.descriptionDATA AVAILABILITY : The datasets generated during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.en_US
dc.description.abstractINTRODUCTION : Evaluation of the eruption of mandibular third molars in orthopantomograms (OPGs) is a method of forensic age assessment. The objective of our study was to provide valid reference data for this trait within a population of black South Africans. The study was guided by the criteria for reference studies in age assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS : A study population from Pretoria, South Africa comprising 670 OPGs obtained from 338 black females and 332 black males aged between 15.00 and 25.97 years was analysed. All OPGs were performed for medical indication during the period from 2011 to 2022 and were retrospectively evaluated. From the 670 OPGs, a total of 1021 mandibular third molars were evaluated. The assessment of mandibular third molars was conducted using the staging scale presented by Olze et al. in 2012. Two experienced dentists evaluated the OPGs independently of each other. If the two examiners diverged in their assessments, a consensus stage was assigned. RESULTS : As expected, the mean, median and minimal age increased with higher stages for both teeth and both sexes. The minimum age recorded for stage D, indicating complete tooth eruption, was 15.79 years in females and 16.62 years in males. CONCLUSION : As it is the case for previous reference studies in other countries, placing exclusive reliance on the evaluation of mandibular third molar eruption is inadequate for ascertaining the age of majority among Black South Africans. Future studies need to examine if our results are transferable to other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.en_US
dc.description.departmentOral Pathology and Oral Biologyen_US
dc.description.librarianhj2024en_US
dc.description.sdgSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-beingen_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThe Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation).en_US
dc.description.urihttp://link.springer.com/journal/414en_US
dc.identifier.citationmolars for forensic age assessment: Introducing current reference data from a population of black South Africans. International Journal of Legal Medicine 138, 1873–1880 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-024-03251-x.en_US
dc.identifier.issn0937-9827 (print)
dc.identifier.issn1437-1596 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1007/s00414-024-03251-x
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/98729
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherSpringeren_US
dc.rights© The Author(s) 2024. Open Access. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.en_US
dc.subjectOrthopantomogram (OPG)en_US
dc.subjectAge estimationen_US
dc.subjectDental ageen_US
dc.subjectWisdom toothen_US
dc.subjectDental panoramic radiographen_US
dc.subjectChronological ageen_US
dc.subjectSDG-03: Good health and well-beingen_US
dc.titleStudying eruption patterns of mandibular third molars for forensic age assessment : introducing current reference data from a population of black South Africansen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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