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At the moment, a large number of asylum seekers from the Middle East are passing through Serbia. Most of them do not have identification documents. Also, the past wars in the Balkan region have left many unidentified victims and missing persons. From a legal point of view, it is crucial to determine whether a person is a minor or an adult (≥18 years of age). In recent years, methods based on the third molar development have been used for this purpose. The present article aims to verify the third molar maturity index (I3M) based on the correlation between the chronological age and normalized measures of the open apices and height of the third mandibular molar. The sample consisted of 598 panoramic radiographs (290 males and 299 females) from 13 to 24 years of age. The cut-off value of I3M=0.08 was used to discriminate adults and minors. The results demonstrated high sensitivity (0.96, 0.86) and specificity (0.94, 0.98) in males and females, respectively. The proportion of correctly classified individuals was 0.95 in males and 0.91 in females. In conclusion, the suggested value of I3M=0.08 can be used on Serbian population with high accuracy., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Forensic medicine is increasingly called upon to assess the age of individuals. Forensic age estimation is mostly required in relation to illegal immigration and identification of bodies or skeletal remains. A variety of age estimation methods are based on dental samples and use of regression models, where the age of an individual is predicted by morphological tooth changes that take place over time. From the medico-legal point of view, regression models, with age as the dependent random variable entail that age tends to be overestimated in the young and underestimated in the old. To overcome this bias, we describe a new full Bayesian calibration method (asymmetric Laplace Bayesian calibration) for forensic age estimation that uses asymmetric Laplace distribution as the probability model. The method was compared with three existing approaches (two Bayesian and a classical method) using simulated data. Although its accuracy was comparable with that of the other methods, the asymmetric Laplace Bayesian calibration appears to be significantly more reliable and robust in case of misspecification of the probability model. The proposed method was also applied to a real dataset of values of the pulp chamber of the right lower premolar measured on x-ray scans of individuals of known age., (Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The objectives of this study were to develop a specific formula to estimate age in a Brazilian adult population and to compare the original formula from Cameriere to this Brazilian formula. The sample comprised 1,772 periapical radiographs from 443 subjects (219 men, 224 women) that were organized into 12 groups according to sex (men or women) and age (20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70 years and older). The films were analyzed using the criteria described by Cameriere et al. (2004) and Adobe Photoshop®. We obtained a mean error of 8.56 (SD = 5.80) years for tooth 13, 7.99 (SD = 5.78) years for tooth 23, 8.38 (SD = 6.26) years for tooth 33, and 8.20 (SD = 6.54) years for tooth 43. When teeth were combined in the analysis, we observed lower mean errors. The Brazilian formula developed from this sample group was more accurate than Cameriere's formula. However, other factors must be considered to improve age estimates in adults.

Age determination in living subjects is a problem of increasing interest in our community, due to the increasing numbers of individuals without identification papers, who have immigrated illegally or committed crimes, and for whom it is necessary to verify whether they have reached the age of 14 years in order to be charged legally. Although the most widespread methods for age estimation refer to skeletal or dental analysis, these methods do present some drawbacks for identification of the age of 14. The aim of the present study is to discriminate between children who are or are not 14 years of age or older by measuring the open apices of teeth. We evaluated the OPGs of 447 persons aged between 12 and 16 years, of Italian, Croatian and Slovenian nationality. For each individual, dental maturity was estimated using the number of the seven left permanent mandibular teeth with root development complete, and normalized measurement of the open apices of the third molar. The results revealed that an individual is considered to be 14 years of age or older if all seven left permanent mandibular teeth have closed apices and the normalized measurement of open apices of the third molar is lower than 1.1.

Changes in the size of the pulp canal, caused by apposition of secondary dentine, are the best morphometric parameters for estimating age by X-rays. The apposition of secondary dentine is the most frequently used method for age estimation in adult subjects. In two previous papers, we studied the application of the pulp/tooth area ratio by peri-apical X-rays as an indicator of age at death. The aim of the present study was to test the accuracy of age evaluation by combined analysis of labio-lingual and mesial peri-apical X-rays of lower and upper canines. A total of 200 such X-rays were assembled from 57 male and 43 female skeletons of Caucasian origin, aged between 20 and 79 years. For each skeleton, dental maturity was evaluated by measuring the pulp/tooth area ratio according to labio-lingual and mesial X-rays on upper (x(1), x(2)) and lower (x(3), x(4)) canines. Very good agreement was found between intra-observer measurements. Statistical analysis showed that all variables x(1), x(2), x(3), and x(4) and the first-order interaction between x(1) and x(3) contributed significantly to the fit, so that they were included in the regression model, yielding the following regression formula: Age = 120.737 - 337.112x(1) - 79.709x(2) - 364.534x(3) - 65.655x(4) + 1531.918x(1)x(3) . The residual standard error of estimated ages was 3.62 years, with 94 degrees of freedom, and the median of the residuals was -0.155 years, with an interquartile range of 4.96 years. The accuracy of the method was ME = 2.8 years, where ME is the mean prediction error. The model also explained 94% of total variance (R(2) = 0.94).

Estimation of age in individuals has received considerable attention in forensic science, in which it is a widely used method for individual identification, together with paleo-demographic analyses to establish mortality patterns in past populations. The present investigation, which is a continuation of a previously published pilot study, was conducted to examine the possible application of the pulp/tooth area ratio by peri-apical images as an indicator of age at death. A total of 200 peri-apical X-rays of upper and lower canines were assembled from 57 male and 43 female skeletons of Caucasian origin, aged between 20 and 79 years. They belong to the Frassetto osteological collection of Sassari (Sardinia) and are housed in the Museum of Anthropology, Department of Experimental and Evolutionistic Biology, University of Bologna. For each skeleton, dental maturity was evaluated by measuring the pulp/tooth area ratio on upper (x(1)) and lower (x(2)) canines. Very good agreement was found between intraobserver measurements. Statistical analysis was performed in order to obtain multiple regression formulae for dental age calculation, with chronological age as dependent variable, and gender, and upper and lower canines as independent variables. Stepwise regression analysis showed that gender did not contribute significantly to the fit (p=0.881) whereas variables x(1) and x(2) and the first-order interaction between them did. These two variables explained 92.5% of variations in estimated chronological age and the residual standard error was 4.06 years. Lastly, two simple linear regression equations were obtained for age estimation using canines from the maxilla and mandible separately. Both models explained 86% of variations in estimated chronological age and allowed an age-at-death estimate with a residual standard error of about 5.4 years.

Estimation of age of skeletal remains is one of the most complex questions for anthropologists. The most common macroscopic methods are based on dental wear and histological evaluation of bone remodeling. These methods are often qualitative, require great technical expertise, and have proved inexact in the estimation of ages over 50 years. Certain dental methods investigate the apposition of secondary dentine, in the study of tooth cross-sections, and X-rays to study width, height, and pulp area. The primary author previously proposed a method of estimating the age of a living person based on the pulp/tooth ratio (PTR) method in the upper canines. The aim of the present study is to verify whether the PTR method can also be used to estimate the age at death of skeletal remains. This paper investigates the study of historical samples of known age as a means to validate the proposed method.

This paper concerns a method for estimating the age of children based on their teeth. The sample consisted of 455 Italian white children (213 boys, 242 girls) aged between 5 and 15 years. The purpose of the present investigation was to present a method for assessing chronological age based on the relationship between age and measurement of the open apices in teeth. Pearson's correlation coefficients between age and these variables showed that the correlations between age and the open apices in teeth were significant and negative. Furthermore, gender and the number of teeth with the apical end of the root canals completely closed (N(0)) showed a significant correlation with chronological age. With the aid of a stepwise multiple regression model, a linear relationship between open apices, N(0), and age was shown. Statistical analysis indicated that these morphological variables explain 83.6% of the variations in estimated chronological age. The median of residual errors between the actual and estimated ages was -0.035 years [interquartile range (IQR)=1.18 years].

This paper discusses a method for assessing adult age based on the relationship between age and measurement of the pulp/tooth area ratio (RA) of the second molar teeth. The sample consisted of 312 Italian white Caucasian patients (135 men, 177 women) aged between 14 and 24 years. Orthopantomograph samples (OPGs) were analyzed by the same observer and calibrated by kappa statistics. Probabilities of an individual being older than 18 years of age (adult age) were derived using measurements of the ratio pulp/tooth area (RA) of the second molar teeth and the dichotomized stages of third molar development (Tm) as explanatory variables. These results were exploited to establish a threshold value to assign an individual to juvenile or adult age. A cut-off value of RA* = 0.088 was applied if Tm = 0 and RA* = 0.097 if Tm = 1. The sensitivity of this test was 91% and its specificity 94.5%. The proportion of individuals with correct classifications was 92%.

This paper details a method for age determination of adults from single rooted teeth. The sample consisted of 100 Italian white Caucasian patients (46 men, 54 women) aged between 18 and 72 years. The single rooted maxillary right canine was utilized in this preliminary study. Pulp/root ration, tooth length, pulp/tooth length ratio, pulp/tooth area and pulp/root width ratios at three different levels were computed. Pearson's correlation coefficients between age and these variables showed that the ratio between pulp and tooth area correlated best with age (r2 = 0.85). Stepwise multiple regression models yielded a linear relationship between pulp/root width at mid-root level and chronological age and a linear relationship when pulp/tooth area was compared to age. Statistical analysis indicated that these two variables explain 84.9% of variations in estimated chronological age. The median of the absolute value of residual errors between actual and estimated ages was less than four years.

The present study aimed to assess the performance of second (I2M) and third (I3M) molar maturity indices, the sum of both indices (I2M+3M), and the sum of the seven mandibular teeth indices (S) in terms of determining whether an individual is at least 12 or 15 years old. The panoramic radiographs of 763 individuals aged between 10–17 years were analysed. For the 12-year age threshold, I2M was found to be the highest specific indicator for both sexes. The optimal cut-off values for the I2M were determined to be 0.072 in females and 0.106 in males. The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the ROC curve (AUC) were 0.749, 0.978, and 0.925 in females, while they were 0.776, 0.953, and 0.925 in males, respectively. With regard to the 15-year age threshold, an optimal I2M cut-off value of 0.026 was established for females, as it showed the best discriminative ability. The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 0.893, 0.779, and 0.885, respectively. For males, an optimal cut-off value of 0.593 was obtained for I2M+3M with the highest specificity (0.900) and AUC (0.931) as well as a sensitivity of 0.857. In conclusion, the identified cut-off values may represent alternative methods in forensic age diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to test the accuracy of the third molar maturity index ( I 3 M ) cut-off value (0.08) to distinguish between individuals above and below the adult age of legal responsibility (18 years) in a Russian population. A sample of 571 digital panoramic radiographs of healthy Russian minors and young adults (363 females and 208 males), aged between 14 and 24 years, was evaluated. The lower left third molars were analyzed by applying the cut-off value of 0.08 determined by Cameriere et al. (2008). Lin's concordance correlation coefficient ( ρ c ) and Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ) showed that repeatability and reproducibility are high for both intra- and interobserver errors. The I 3 M value decreased with age in both sexes. Age distribution gradually decreases as I 3 M increases in both girls and boys. In the male group, molar maturity stages 0-0.04, 0.04-0.08, 0.08-0.3, 0.3-0.5, and 0.9-1.4 were reached slightly earlier than in the female group. The results demonstrated that sensitivity is 0.96 in boys and 0.93 in girls; associated specificity values were both 0.98. The cut-off value of I 3 M is statistically robust and thus valid for forensic application in a Russian population to determine whether or not a subject has reached 18 years of age. Finally, we compared our results with those of other studies in which the same I 3 M cut-off value was tested on different populations. The method is novel as it is reliable and easily reproducible, thus ensuring a universal way of comparing the results obtained (based on a cut-off value) among many populations, in order to develop an ever-increasing database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is to study a sample of girls from 15 different countries using Third Molar Maturity Index (I3M), to assess the probability that a girl has reached the legal age of 18 years. The studied sample consisted of 3228 Orthopantomograms of healthy female subjects from 15 different countries. The cutoff value of I3M = 0.08 was tested to discriminate adults (=18 years) and minors (<18 years). X-ray images were processed by computer-aided drafting program ImageJ. The information on sensitivity and specificity of I3M coming from the 15 countries was pooled together using a bivariate Bayesian modeling approach. Specificity of the I3M test did not change when the country was considered, and its value remains greater than 85% for each studied country. This method is useful to estimate the age of the girls involved in suspected early marriage because of the high probability of correctly identifying a minor with similar results observed among tested populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental age (DA) estimation is an extensively investigated resource used by forensic science. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of the Measurement of Open Apices for DA estimation in north east Brazilians. A total of 429 orthopantomographs of individuals aged 5 to 14.99 years were used. The sample was distributed according to the age groups 5-6.99, 7-8.99, 9-10.99, 11-12.99 and 13-14.99 years, and the data were analyzed descriptively and by linear regression (a= 5%). The majority of the radiographs were from females (n = 241; 56.2%), with an overall mean age of 12 years (± 2.12). A significant difference was obser ved between DA and chronological age (CA) in the total sample and specifically in females and males. The method underestimated CA by 0.31 year (total sample) and by 0.3 and 0.32 year in females and males, respectively. In contrast, the method overestimated CA in the groups 5-6.99 and 7-8.99 years, with a mean difference (MD) of 0.48 year (p = 0.007) and 0.17 year (p = 0.182), respectively. In the other groups, DA was predicted to be below CA, with a significant difference in the group 13-14.99 (0.75 year). Based on the regression analysis, a correction factor was proposed from the original formula for this population, thereby reaching a predictive power of approximately 80%. To conclude, this method is applicable to the study population aged 5 to 13 years as the estimates obtained did not exceed the error limit of ±1 year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The age estimation of living or dead individuals is an important part of forensic science because it can be used in various situations, including mass disasters, or for civil or criminal reasons, such as adoption or asylum. Teeth play a major role in this context because they are more resistant than bones in extreme environmental conditions and their development is hardly affected by exogenous or endogenous factors. Because the third molars (3rdM) are still in development from the age of 14, they are useful for determining whether an individual has reached the legal age of 18 years. This study aims to verify the method of Cameriere et al. (2008) in Brazil to discriminate whether an individual is under or over 18 years from the maturity index of the 3rdM (I3m). The analysis of 444 panoramic radiographs resulted in a sensitivity of 78.3%, a specificity of 85.1% and a correct classification of 87%. Significant differences in sexual dimorphism in the early mineralization of males were found only for the average age with I3m ≥ 0.08, except for the range (0.7, 0.9). Due to the high miscegenation ratio of the Brazilian population the ancestry was not one of the studied variables. The method is suitable for estimating adulthood for forensic purposes in Brazil, although it must be applied carefully and judiciously. We recommend a combination of several methods that are available to increase accuracy as well as the establishment of different parameters that are likely to determine whether a person is more or less than 18 years of age, depending on the different legal requirements, whether civil or criminal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were to develop a specific formula to estimate age in a Brazilian adult population and to compare the original formula from Cameriere to this Brazilian formula. The sample comprised 1,772 periapical radiographs from 443 subjects (219 men, 224 women) that were organized into 12 groups according to sex (men or women) and age (20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70 years and older). The films were analyzed using the criteria described by Cameriere et al. (2004) and Adobe Photoshop®. We obtained a mean error of 8.56 (SD = 5.80) years for tooth 13, 7.99 (SD = 5.78) years for tooth 23, 8.38 (SD = 6.26) years for tooth 33, and 8.20 (SD = 6.54) years for tooth 43. When teeth were combined in the analysis, we observed lower mean errors. The Brazilian formula developed from this sample group was more accurate than Cameriere's formula. However, other factors must be considered to improve age estimates in adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate age estimation has always been a problem for forensic scientists, and apposition of secondary dentine is often used as an indicator of age. Cameriere et al. studied the pulp/tooth area ratio by peri-apical X-ray images of the canines, to observe the apposition of secondary dentine. The present study examines the application of this technique in a Mexican identified sample coming from the Department of Physical Anthropology of the INAH, at Mexico City. The main aim of this work is to test the reliability of this method in a skeletal sample of a specific population, different from the samples used for its development. The obtained regression model explained 96.2% of total variance ( R2 = 0.962) with a standard error of estimate of 1.909 and a standard deviation of 1.947. These results demonstrate great reliability and that the age/secondary dentine relationship is not variable in this specific population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The legal age of adulthood in Japan become 18 years old in the future. • The study tested for discriminating minors and adults of Japanese. • The cut-off value of third molar maturity index (I 3M) = 0.08 was applied. • The values of sensitivity and specificity showed high level. • I 3M is capable of discriminating adults and minors in Japanese. To evaluate the cut-off value of third molar maturity index (I 3M) = 0.08 for discriminating minors from adults in Japanese population. 276 panoramic radiographs of healthy Japanese subjects (139 girls and 137 boys) age range from 14 to 24 years were evaluated. ICC (Intra-class correlation coefficient) for intra-rater and inter-rater agreement of I 3M was 99.6% (95% CI 98.6–99.9%) and 98.9% (95% CI 98.8–99.9%) respectively. The proportion of correctly classified in girls was 87% (95% CI 81–93%) and in boys was 91% (95% CI 87–96%). The sensitivity of the test in girls and boys was 84% (95% CI 77–92%) and 89% (95% CI 83–95%) respectively and specificity was 93% (95% CI 85–100%) and 96% (95% CI 90–100%) in girls and in boys. The PPV (Positive Predictive Value) was 87% (95% CI 69–95%) in girls and 92% (95% CI 74–98%) in boys. The results of the study show that I 3M is capable of discriminating adults and minors in subjects around legal age of 18 years old in Japanese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim From a medico-legal and penalty point of view, it is essential to conclude if an individual is a minor or an adult (18 years of age). Methods based on the third molar development have been used for this purpose. The present article aims to verify the Nolla’s stages of mineralization of the third molars and a third molar maturity index (I 3M ) which is based on the measures of the projections of open apices normalized by their height in the sample of Montenegrins. Method and sample The sample consisted of 683 panoramic radiographs (324 males and 359 females) between 13 and 24 years of age. The specific mineralization stages of Nolla and the cut-off value of I 3M  < 0.08 was used to discriminate adults and minors. Results The best performance in discriminating adults and minors was for I 3M  < 0.08 followed by the Nolla stage 9. For I 3M  < 0.08 the results demonstrated high sensitivity of 0.92 and 0.82 and specificity of 0.94 and 0.96 in males and females, respectively. The proportions of correctly classified individuals were 0.93 in males and 0.89 in females. The Nolla stage 9 demonstrated the sensitivity of 0.95 and 0.85 and the specificity of 0.84 and 0.90 in males and females, respectively. The proportions of correctly classified individuals were 0.90 in males and 0.87 in females. Conclusion The suggested value of I 3M  < 0.08 followed by Nolla stage 9 can be used to discriminate adults from minors with high specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To compare the accuracy of Demirjian’s stages (DS) and Cameriere’s third molar maturity index cut-off value ( I 3M < 0.08) to estimate the age of majority on panoramic radiographs (OPTs) from the dental clinic of the Scientific University of the South (UCSUR), Lima, Peru. Methods An observational cross-sectional study was conducted on the sample of 208 digital panoramic radiographs of patients aged 14–22 years examined during 2015 in UCSUR. The left lower third molars were analyzed using Adobe Photoshop® CS6. An effectiveness of specific DS and I 3M < 0.08 was evaluated by using accurate classification, sensitivity, specificity, positive ( LR +) and negative ( LR− ) likelihood ratios and Bayes post-test probability ( p ). Results Only G and H stages were practical for classify adults and minors in the tested sample, while I 3M < 0.08 showed the best performance in both sexes. For I 3M < 0.08, the accurate classification, sensitivity and specificity were 0.96, 0.96, 0.96 and 0.90, 0.84 and 0.95 in males and females, respectively. Values of LR +, LR − and p were 24.96, 0.04, 0.97 and 15.68, 0.17, 0.95 in males and females, respectively. Conclusion The specific cut-off value of third molar maturity index ( I 3M < 0.08) showed to be more accurate in discriminating adults and minors in Peruvian sample when a test with high sensitivity and specificity is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Correct assessment of legal adult age is critical from the medical or legal point of view. • The third molar maturity index was tested in discriminating adults from minors in the Eastern China. • I 3M <0.08 showed a better accurate classification of adults from minors in males (92%) than in females (85.8%). • The sensitivity was 75% and 91.9% while specificity was 100% and 92% in females and males, respectively. • A cut-off value I 3M <0.12 showed some better accuracy only in females. Having a reliable, inexpensive and simple method to estimate 18 years of age would be of help in the forensic field. This study aimed to test the accuracy of the third molar maturity index (I 3M) in indicating the legal adult age of 18 years. This retrospective cross-sectional study analysed 450 digital panoramic images of Eastern Chinese children and young adults (226 females and 224 males) aged between 14 and 22 years. A cut-off value of I 3M < 0.08 was tested in discriminating adults from minors for both sex. For females, the sensitivity of the test (Se) was 75.0%, with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of 67.5% to 82.5%. The specificity of the test (Sp) was 100%. The proportion accurately classified (Ac) individuals was 85.8% (95%CI, 81.3% to 90.4%). The Bayes post-test probability was 100% (93.6% to 100%). For males, Se, Sp and Ac were 91.9% (95%CI, 87.1% to 96.7%), 92.0%(95%CI, 86.7% to 97.3%) and 92% (95%CI, 88.4% to 95.5%), respectively. The Bayes post-test probabilities was 92% (95%CI, 88.4% to 95.5%). Males were ahead in the development of third molars comparing to females according to I 3M. A stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that both I 3M and sex contribute to the regression model to discriminate adults (≥18 years) from minors (<18 years), while a receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis indicated some better accuracy of I 3M < 0.12 in females, without statistically significant difference when compared to I 3M < 0.08. The results of this study show that the cut-off value of I 3M < 0.08 may help to discriminate Eastern Chinese adults from minors. However, further study should evaluate the usefulness and possible variability of I 3M cut-off value in a specific population before used for legal and forensic procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Estimating age plays a significant role in forensic odontology. • Cameriere's method provided a better percentage of accuracy than Willems' for Turkey population. • Combined usage of age estimation methods may help to hinder misjudgements based on dental age. Tooth development evaluation is majorly the current approach to identify age and maturity. Dental age (DA) is therefore considerably emphasized in forensic and pediatric dentistry. The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of Willems and Cameriere methods for Turkish children. Panoramic images of 636 Turkish healthy children (319 male; 317 female) aged between 6 and 15 years were assessed. DA of the subjects was determined by using Willems and Cameriere methods. The seven right and left permanent lower teeth were valued using these two methods. The mean chronological age (CA) of the subjects was 11.53 ± 2.25 (min:6, max:14.99) years (boys: 11.29 ± 2.34 years, girls: 11.77 ± 2.15 years). Willems method overestimated the CA (p ≤ 0.001), in contrast, Cameriere method underestimated the CA (p ≤ 0.001) for both sexes. In different age groups the mean difference between the CA and DA calculated by Cameriere method (CA DA) ranged from 0.86 to −0.41 years for boys and from 1.00 to −0.21 years for girls, while the mean difference between the CA and DA calculated by Willems method ranged from −0.26 to −0.71 years for boys and from 0.19 to −0.76 years for girls. Cameriere method provided a better percentage of accuracy (84.6% and 77.3% for males and females, respectively) in the absolute difference values within 1 year compared to Willems method. Cameriere method performed slightly better but, both methods may be used for DA estimation in the Turkish population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimation of age in living subjects is today a significant issue because of the increase in the situations in which it arises and its legal consequences. In line with the Study Group on Forensic Age Diagnostics of the German Association of Legal Medicine's recommendations, it is based on the concomitant use of physical examination and methods for estimating bone age and dental age. Given the variations between the populations, the use of the latter requires their validation on all the ethnic groups on which they can be used. This aim of this study was to access the interest of the Cameriere's third molar maturity index (I3M) to indicate if an individual had reached the age of 18 in a sample of individuals from southeastern France. The studied sample consisted of OPTs 339 (184 females and 155 males) subjects aged between 14 and 22 years old. A logistic regression analysis with the adult age and minor age as dichotomous dependent variable and gender and I3M as predictor variables showed that gender was not statistically significant in discriminating adults and minors. The receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis showed the best discrimination performance of the specific cut-off value of I3M<0.08 in discriminating adults from minors. The proportion of accurate classification was 0.897 and 0.916 for females and males, respectively. The specificity (Sp) and sensitivity (Se) results for females were 0.962 and 0.813, respectively. Sp and Se for males were 0.953 and 0.871, respectively. The Bayes post-test probability was 0.961 and 0.955 in females and males respectively. Obtained results showed that a cut-off value of I3M<0.08 may be an additional tool for indicating adult age in the tested population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the application of Cameriere's third molar maturity index (I3M) to select an individual of 18years or older (adult) from younger than 18years (minor) in a sample of Polish individuals. The final sample of 982 panoramic images aged between 15 to 24years was analyzed. The specific cut-off value of I3M<0.08 was analyzed. The specificity (Sp) and sensitivity (Se) for males were 91.2% and 86.2% respectively. The Sp and Se for females were 93% and 82.6% respectively. The probabilities of correctly classified individuals were 87.6% and 85.3%, and Bayes post-test probability was 96.3% and 97% in males and females respectively. Further analysis indicated the alternative cut-off value of I3M<0.07, which improved the specificity, 95.3%, and 94.7%, and worsen correct classification, 86.5%, and 84.4%, in males and females, respectively. Our results showed that the specific cut-off point of I3M<0.08 may be a useful tool for discriminating adults from minors in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to test the accuracy of cut-off value of 0.08 by measurement of third molar index (I3M) in assessing legal adult age of 18 years in a sample of Colombian children and young adults. Digital orthopantomographs of 288 Colombian children and young adults (163 girls and 125 boys), aged between 13 and 22 years, were analysed. Concordance correlation coefficient (ρc) and κ statistics (Cohen's Kappa coefficient) showed that repeatability and reproducibility are high for both intra- and inter-observer error. κ statistics for intra- and inter-observer agreement in decision on adult or minor was 0.913 and 0.877, respectively. Age distribution gradually decreases as I3M increases in both girls and boys. For girls, the sensitivity test was 95.1% (95% CI 87.1%-95%) and specificity was 93.8% (95% CI 87.1%-98.8%). The proportion of correctly classified individuals was 95.1%. For boys, the sensitivity test was 91.7% (95% CI 85.1%-96.8%) and specificity was 90.6% (95% CI 82.1%-97.8%). The proportion of correctly classified individuals was 89.7%. The cut-off value of 0.08 is highly useful to determine if a subject is 18 years of age or older or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in pulp size due to the deposition of secondary dentin observed on radiographic images represent the best morphometric parameter to estimate age in adults. The objectives of the study were: to assess the precision and accuracy of age estimation using periapical radiographs among Brazilian adults, and to compare a formula to estimate age in this population with the original one (Cameriere et al., 2004). The sample comprised 1,772 periapical radiographs of 443 subjects (219 male, 224 female) that were organized into 12 groups according to sex and age (20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70+ years). The x-rays were analyzed as per Cameriere et al. (2004) using Adobe Photoshop® software and the observations were based on 20 points along the contour of the canine structure and 10 points around the pulp cavity. The obtained pixel values were inserted into the formulas for estimating age. The intra-class correlation was of 0.74 (0.6-0.8) and 0.87 (0.7-0.9), respectively, for intra and inter-observer measurements. The application of the age estimation formulas to the Brazilian population revealed a mean error of 8.56 (SD=5.80) years for tooth 13, 7.99 (SD=5.78) years for tooth 23, 8.38 (SD=6.26) years for tooth 33, and 8.20 (SD=6.54) years for tooth 43. The application of the formulas to values obtained with a combination of teeth decreased the mean error and was 7.85 (SD = 5.60) years for the canines on the right side and 7.58 (SD = 5.41) years for the left side. Our findings indicated that slightly higher levels of accuracy could be achieved by estimating the ages using the Brazilian formula compared with the original one. Multiple teeth should be used and more than one method should be applied in order to improve the accuracy of the age estimation. (Funding: CAPES). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]