Manuella Santos Carneiro Almeida

The chronology of second molar development in Brazilians and its application to forensic age estimation

Purpose This study investigated the possible correlation between the mineralization of the second molars and the chronological age of a sample population of the state of Paraiba, Brazil. Materials and Methods One thousand eight hundred fifty-four digitized panoramic images using a scanner of a private dental radiology service were obtained in six months. Of these, 457 were selected from patients aged 4.6 to 16 years who met certain criteria. The images were assessed twice by a radiologist with 5 years experience. A minimum interval of 30 days between the evaluations of the same patient was established. To analyze the relationship between chronological age, calcification level proposed by Demirjian et al in 1973, gender, and tooth, a multiple linear regression model was adjusted, taking age as the response variable (p<0.05). Results The gender and calcification level were significantly correlated with the age of the patients (p<0.05). There was a significant difference between the average age of the patients upper teeth compared to the lower ones in both genders (p<0.05). The dental development occurred earlier in female individuals than in male ones, and there was no significant difference between the right and left second permanent molars. Conclusion It was observed that ethnic variables are related to certain parameters of age and sex identification in the Brazilian population, providing important information for forensic evaluations.

Human identification study by means of frontal sinus imaginological aspects.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the applicability of human identification parameters, established by Tatlisumak et al. (2007), by means of cone-beam computed tomography and extraoral radiographs of the frontal sinus region. From a total of 58 dry skulls, 26 were selected. Posteroanterior, profile cephalometric radiographs and cone-beam computed tomography images were acquired, adopting a specific method for reproducibility purposes. The images were evaluated by two examiners, previously calibrated, in a darkened environment and at two distinct sessions, with a minimum of 15 days between them. The characteristics of the frontal sinus were analyzed using the Cohens kappa test, for categorical variables, and Lins concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) for continuous variables. Acceptable values of inter method variability for the categorical variables were found, while same cannot be told for continuous variables. The parameters evaluated for the frontal sinus on extraoral radiographs and cone-beam computed tomographs were mostly concordant, with the exception of three. Categorical and discrete variables showed an intra- and interexaminer concordance ranging from good to perfect, and the quantitative continuous variables showed concordance ranging from moderate to excellent. The parameters examined are applicable and reproducible using multiplanar reconstructions of cone-beam computed tomography and extraoral radiographs of the frontal sinus.