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Garizoain G, Parra RC, Aranda CM, Luna LH. Three decades after the publication of the Lamendin method for adult age-at-death estimation: Methodological evolution of the procedure and interpretations. Forensic Sci Int 2024; 355:111917. [PMID: 38215538 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2023.111917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
More than three decades have passed since the publication of Lamendin et al.'s proposal in 1992. Over this time, numerous investigations have been conducted to assess the applicability of the technique in different populations with acceptable results in terms of estimation errors. The proposal by Lamendin and colleagues remains relevant today, and has made a significant contribution to adult age-at-death estimation due to its simplicity, repeatability, replicability, and high performance. Indeed, significant progress towards systematizing and strengthening the procedure has been reported in the published literature. One noteworthy advancement is the development of an international database that supports the use of Bayesian statistics for age-at-death estimation. This resource plays a crucial role in standardizing the methodology and improving the reliability for obtaining more reliable results on a global scale. The aim of this study is to investigate the historical evolution of the technique, to assess the accuracy of the results obtained by different analytic procedures, and to explore its impact in forensic applications through a systematic analysis of the specialized literature on this field. The current state of research indicates that this type of methodological research is an ongoing process, far from being completed. Many questions and challenges that require further attention to address effectively these issues remain unanswered, such as the development of non-linear regressions and probabilistic approaches, the deepening of procedures that improve global approximations, and the intensification of research focused on achieving more accurate estimations among individuals over 70 years-old. However, studies generally agree that the Lamendin technique works well for individuals between the ages of 30-60 years. It is still in force today, although the method has been significantly perfected. Despite the degree of research development in this area, further efforts are needed to improve the understanding and performance of these kinds of procedures. This will ultimately lead to an improvement in the accuracy and reliability of forensic investigation results worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Garizoain
- Forensic Science Research Laboratory (LICiF), Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of La Plata, Argentina
| | - R C Parra
- Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights), The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - C M Aranda
- University of Buenos Aires, Faculty of Odontology, Endodontics Chair and Public Health Research Institute (IISAP), Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology Research Unit (UIBAF), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - L H Luna
- University of Buenos Aires, Faculty of Philosophy and Letters and Faculty of Odontology, Endodontics Chair and Public Health Research Institute (IISAP), Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology Research Unit (UIBAF), Marcelo T de Alvear 2142 9th floor (C1122), Buenos Aires, Argentina; CONICET, Multidisciplinary Institute of History and Human Sciences (IMHICIHU), Faculty of Philosophy and Letters and Faculty of Odontology, Endodontics Chair and Public Health Research Institute (IISAP), Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology Research Unit (UIBAF), Marcelo T de Alvear 2142 9th floor (C1122), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Suciyanie IM, Gultom FP, Hidayat AN, Suhartono AW, Yuniastuti M, Auerkari EI. Accuracy of forensic age estimation using cementum annulation and dentin translucency in adult: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Legal Med 2022; 136:1443-1455. [PMID: 35088151 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-022-02777-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Identification of the living and the dead individual is essential in routine forensic dental examinations. Age determination can be of great value in forensic odontology, not only in identifying bodies but also in relation to crime. When subjects have extensive changes that external features provide no information, teeth are often the only means of identification. Several procedures for age-at-death estimation in adults have been introduced. Two of them, cementum annulation and dentin translucency, are frequently used as a single dental indicator. Cementum annulation refers to an alternating dark and light band; each pair of it represents 1 year. Meanwhile, dentin translucency is the other dental physiological process that begins in the second or third decade of life and progresses with age. There are still few studies that compared both methods and their accuracy in estimating adult age at death. Therefore, this study aims to test and compare cementum annulation and dentin translucency accuracy by performing a systematic search on five online databases (Pubmed, Scopus, Ebsco, ScienceDirect, and Wiley). All the research articles must be published in the last 10 years, and the full paper must be available in English. Out of the total 1178 literature, 28 studies were recruited for qualitative analysis and 23 studies for meta-analysis. The results show that dentin translucency age estimation is more accurate than the cementum annulation method in the entire population. It is recommended to use the cementum annulation method for younger adults (15-44 years) and the dentin translucency method for the older ones (≥ 45 years).
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Affiliation(s)
- Indah Melati Suciyanie
- Department of Oral Biology, Division of Forensic Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Indonesia, Jl. Salemba Raya No. 4, Central Jakarta, 10430, , DKI Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Ferry Pergamus Gultom
- Department of Oral Biology, Division of Forensic Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Indonesia, Jl. Salemba Raya No. 4, Central Jakarta, 10430, , DKI Jakarta, Indonesia.
| | - Angel Natania Hidayat
- Department of Oral Biology, Division of Forensic Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Indonesia, Jl. Salemba Raya No. 4, Central Jakarta, 10430, , DKI Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Antonius Winoto Suhartono
- Department of Oral Biology, Division of Forensic Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Indonesia, Jl. Salemba Raya No. 4, Central Jakarta, 10430, , DKI Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Mindya Yuniastuti
- Department of Oral Biology, Division of Forensic Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Indonesia, Jl. Salemba Raya No. 4, Central Jakarta, 10430, , DKI Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Elza Ibrahim Auerkari
- Department of Oral Biology, Division of Forensic Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Indonesia, Jl. Salemba Raya No. 4, Central Jakarta, 10430, , DKI Jakarta, Indonesia.
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Age-at-death Estimation in Adults and Verification of a Forensic International Methodology using Single-Rooted teeth: An Approach for a Peruvian Context. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL: REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2021.100176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
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Parra RC, Ubelaker DH, Adserias-Garriga J, Escalante-Flórez KJ, Condori LA, Buikstra JE. Root Dentin Translucency and Forensic International Dental Database: Methodology for estimation age-at-death in adults using single-rooted teeth. Forensic Sci Int 2020; 317:110572. [PMID: 33232857 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Estimation of the age-at-death in adults is essential when the identification of deceased persons with unknown identity is required in both humanitarian and judicial contexts. However, the methodologies and the results obtained can be questioned. Various efforts have been developed to adjust procedures to specific populations, always seeking the precision and accuracy of the methodologies. It is known that the estimation of the age-at-death in adults coexists with wide margins of error, due to several reasons, including but not limited to statistical problems, the size of the sample or the physiological process of aging. This research focuses on a degenerative indicator of the dentin (Root Dentin Translucency) and its combination with Periodontal Height (PH) following the Lamendin's technique for estimation of the age-at-death in adults. The main objective of this research was to demonstrate the applicability of a Bayesian model based on a Forensic International Dental Database (FIDB) that include Root Translucency Height (RTH) and PH as a method to age-at-death in adults. The conclusion of this research was that the combined both indicators become a generalizable age-at-death in adults model for all human populations, where the Bayesian method would offer optimal results in any population. In this way, those populations that do not have had the possibility of validating a specific procedure, now have the opportunity to apply a valid method for estimating age-at-death in adults to global scope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto C Parra
- Specialized Forensic Team, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Mission in The Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
| | - Douglas H Ubelaker
- Department of Anthropology, NMNH, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Karen J Escalante-Flórez
- Especialidad de Odontología Forense, Facultad de Estomatología, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | - Lucio A Condori
- Equipo Forense Especializado, Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses, Ministerio Público, Lima, Peru
| | - Jane E Buikstra
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe Campus, AZ, USA
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Merdietio Boedi R. Post-mortem dental profiling in Palu earthquake and tsunami victims—procedures and limitations. AUST J FORENSIC SCI 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/00450618.2020.1805013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Le Cabec A, Tang NK, Ruano Rubio V, Hillson S. Nondestructive adult age at death estimation: Visualizing cementum annulations in a known age historical human assemblage using synchrotron X-ray microtomography. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 168:25-44. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Adeline Le Cabec
- Department of Human Evolution; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
- ID19 Beamline; Structure of Materials Group, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility; Grenoble France
| | | | | | - Simon Hillson
- Institute of Archaeology; University College London; London United Kingdom
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