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Age Estimation
Age estimation is commonly the purview of the forensic anthropologist
using the pubic symphysis, innominate auricular surfaces, carpal bones, sternal rib ends,
cranial suture closure and long bones.
However human age can also be estimated in living or deceased individuals by
examining teeth eruption patterns, third molar development, and translucent
dentin development in intact and sectioned teeth. In living individuals,
anthropologic age determinants other than wrist radiographs are not possible, so
dental age estimation can be valuable. In deceased individuals there may
be no skeletal evidence other than dental structures or teeth to estimate the
age.
Dr. Loomis has extensive experience in age determination using
sectioned and intact teeth, measuring the translucent dentin formation and
application of regression formulae to arrive at an estimated age. Research
has shown this technique is accurate within a known standard deviation.
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