Recommendation of a Standard Method for Age Estimation in Iranian Population Based on Two Dental Parameters

Purpose: The aim of this study was to define a standard formula for age estimation based on two dental parameters proposed by Lamendin in Iranian population.Materials and Methods: Immediately after atrumatic extraction of 333 single rooted teeth of deceased bodies with known age and sex in Tehran Medical Legal Organization, the transparency, periodontosis and their indices were analyzed, and age estimated by Lamendin method. The correlations of various parameters were evaluated. A regression analysis was made and the age was analyzed by this method. The differences between estimated age by Lamendin, regression analysis and actual age were studied.Results: The correlation of transparency (0.891) and periodontosis (0.778) for age estimation were greater than their indices (P<0.0001). It seemed that it is better to use these parameters directly in the formula, therefore, separate formula was proposed for men and women. By evaluating the proposed formulas, it was noticed that the lower lateral incisors showed the greatest correlation with actual age.Conclusion: Contrary to Lamendin, in most of the age group of Iranian race population, the lower lateral incisor is more precise tooth to estimate the age based on analysis of two mentioned parameter and also based on the proposed tooth in the present formula, the range of bias reduced and the over and under estimation of more than 5 years is less. It is recommended that the applicability of the proposed formulas to be studied with greater sample size in all age groups in Iranian Medical Legal Organization