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Chowdhry A, Kapoor P, Bhargava D, Bagga DK, Mehta A. Comparison of Demirjian's comprehensive chart with the London atlas of tooth development in children and adolescents: a pilot study. Forensic Sci Res 2023; 8:332-337. [PMID: 38405622 PMCID: PMC10894060 DOI: 10.1093/fsr/owad044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Dental age estimation has its application in various subdisciplines of medicine and dentistry. New methods of dental age (DA) estimation are emerging and it is important that we compare different methods to determine which one is more closely related to the chronological age. Demirjian's method is one of the most widely used techniques and has been tested in various ethnic populations globally. In 2016, another approach to DA estimation is the London atlas of human tooth development and eruption. No study has compared Demirjian's comprehensive chart and London atlas method in the Indian population. Hence, in the current study, we estimated DA using Demirjian's comprehensive chart and London atlas method for association with the known chronologic age in children and adolescent population. The study also attempted to determine if sexual dimorphism existed in DA estimated by the two methods. Estimation was performed for both methods on 100 orthopantomogram records (50 males and 50 females, aged 6-16 years) of orthodontic patients. The data were compared and analysed using paired t-tests. There was an overestimation of DA by Demirjian's comprehensive chart on an average of +1.3 years in males and +0.5 years in females, whereas using London atlas, it was +1.4 years in males and +0.5 years in females. The mean of underestimation was -0.6 years in males and -0.8 years in females using Demirjian's comprehensive chart, whereas it was -0.8 years in males and -0.5 years in females. A statistically significant difference (P < 0.0001) was found when mean chronological age (11.6 ± 2.6) years of the participants was compared with DA estimated using either Demirjian's comprehensive chart (12.3 ± 2.8) years or London atlas (11.8 ± 2.9) years. The trends in this pilot study point towards more accuracy of London atlas over Demirjian's method when done using comprehensive chart for estimating DA. In summary, the results of the current pilot study indicates greater accuracy of London atlas method over Demirjian's comprehensive chart method for estimating DA in Indian population. This finding should be validated by conducting similar studies using larger sample, on diverse Indian ethnic populations, for applicability in pedodontic, orthodontic, and forensic domains. Key points No study has compared Demirjian's comprehensive chart and London atlas method in the Indian population.The dental age estimated by London method was closer to chronological age as compared to Demirjian's method in our study sample.Significant difference was found in chronological age and estimated age using London atlas method in both males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aman Chowdhry
- Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Priyanka Kapoor
- Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Deepak Bhargava
- School of Dental Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India
| | | | - Abhishek Mehta
- Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
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Cheong H, Roh BY, Kumagai A, Oh S, Lee SS. Validation of London Atlas for forensic age estimation in Koreans by comparing with Lee's and Willems' methods. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19957. [PMID: 37809684 PMCID: PMC10559577 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the applicability of the London Atlas for age estimation in the Korean population by comparing with Lee's and Willems' methods. Dental ages of 475 orthopantomographs from Korean individuals aged 4-15 years (mean 10.32 ± 3.31 years) were estimated using the London Atlas, Lee's and Willems' methods. Correlation between dental and chronological age was determined using Pearson's correlation coefficient, and the statistical difference between dental and chronological age was analyzed using a paired t-test. The bias (mean differences), mean absolute error, and root mean square error between dental and chronological age, stratified by age groups and estimation methods, were calculated. Differences in bias and absolute error between sexes were scrutinized using an independent-samples t-test. Age estimates of the three tested methods were combined and compared to those of each individual method. The London Atlas and Willems methods resulted in overestimations, whereas the Lee method led to an underestimation on the entire sample. The overall accuracy was observed in the order of Lee's method, the London Atlas, and Willems' method. The London Atlas demonstrated superior consistency of estimation performance across age groups and no significant differences in estimation performance between sexes. The combination of estimates from the London Atlas and Lee's method resulted in an enhancement in bias and accuracy. We conclude that the London Atlas, due to its bias and accuracy comparable to Lee's and Willems' methods, is applicable for forensic practice in the Korean population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harin Cheong
- Department of Forensic Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Yoon Roh
- Forensic Medicine Division, National Forensic Service Gwangju Institute, Jangseong-gun, 57248, Republic of Korea
| | - Akiko Kumagai
- Division of Forensic Odontology and Disaster Oral Medicine, Department of Forensic Science, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
| | - Sehyun Oh
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Seob Lee
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
- Catholic Institute for Applied Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
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Vila-Blanco N, Varas-Quintana P, Tomás I, Carreira MJ. A systematic overview of dental methods for age assessment in living individuals: from traditional to artificial intelligence-based approaches. Int J Legal Med 2023; 137:1117-1146. [PMID: 37055627 PMCID: PMC10247592 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-02960-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Dental radiographies have been used for many decades for estimating the chronological age, with a view to forensic identification, migration flow control, or assessment of dental development, among others. This study aims to analyse the current application of chronological age estimation methods from dental X-ray images in the last 6 years, involving a search for works in the Scopus and PubMed databases. Exclusion criteria were applied to discard off-topic studies and experiments which are not compliant with a minimum quality standard. The studies were grouped according to the applied methodology, the estimation target, and the age cohort used to evaluate the estimation performance. A set of performance metrics was used to ensure good comparability between the different proposed methodologies. A total of 613 unique studies were retrieved, of which 286 were selected according to the inclusion criteria. Notable tendencies to overestimation and underestimation were observed in some manual approaches for numeric age estimation, being especially notable in the case of Demirjian (overestimation) and Cameriere (underestimation). On the other hand, the automatic approaches based on deep learning techniques are scarcer, with only 17 studies published in this regard, but they showed a more balanced behaviour, with no tendency to overestimation or underestimation. From the analysis of the results, it can be concluded that traditional methods have been evaluated in a wide variety of population samples, ensuring good applicability in different ethnicities. On the other hand, fully automated methods were a turning point in terms of performance, cost, and adaptability to new populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Vila-Blanco
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Tecnoloxías Intelixentes (CiTIUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Departamento de Electrónica e Computación, Escola Técnica Superior de Enxeñaría, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Paulina Varas-Quintana
- Oral Sciences Research Group, Special Needs Unit, Department of Surgery and Medical Surgical Specialities, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Tomás
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Tecnoloxías Intelixentes (CiTIUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
- Oral Sciences Research Group, Special Needs Unit, Department of Surgery and Medical Surgical Specialities, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
| | - María J Carreira
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Tecnoloxías Intelixentes (CiTIUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
- Departamento de Electrónica e Computación, Escola Técnica Superior de Enxeñaría, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
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Zhou J, Qu D, Fan L, Yuan X, Wu Y, Sui M, Zhao J, Tao J. Applicability of the London Atlas method in the East China population. Pediatr Radiol 2023; 53:256-264. [PMID: 36066614 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-022-05491-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dental age estimation is important for developmental assessment and individual identification. The London Atlas, a recently proposed method for dental age estimation, has been reported to perform satisfactorily in various populations. OBJECTIVE In this study, we assessed the reproducibility, repeatability and applicability of the London Atlas method in the East China population and compared it with the Demirjian method. MATERIALS AND METHODS We assessed panoramic radiographs of 835 pediatric patients ages 6.0-19.9 years using the London Atlas and the Demirjian method. We employed the intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman analysis to evaluate reproducibility and repeatability, respectively. We assessed the agreement between dental age and chronological age and calculated 95% and 80% prediction intervals for each dental age stage. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were calculated to assess the performance of both methods for identifying threshold ages. RESULTS The London Atlas has better reproducibility and repeatability (intraclass correlation coefficients: 0.98 and 0.99; 95% limits of agreement: - 1.34 to 1.56 and - 1.22 to 0.88, respectively). Dental age estimated using the London Atlas was closer to chronological age in both genders (median absolute error = 0.58). The 95% prediction intervals for chronological age were wide (0.99 to 9.89 years). CONCLUSION The London Atlas has excellent reproducibility and repeatability. Thus, it might offer an alternative method for developmental assessment. We observed considerable variation in dental development in the East China population, which needs further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Zhou
- Department of General Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Rd, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.,National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Donglin Qu
- Department of General Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Rd, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.,National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Linfeng Fan
- National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China.,Department of Oral Radiology, College of Stomatology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoyan Yuan
- Department of General Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Rd, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.,National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiwen Wu
- Department of General Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Rd, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.,National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Meizhi Sui
- Department of General Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Rd, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.,National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Junjun Zhao
- Department of General Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Rd, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China.,National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiang Tao
- Department of General Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, 639 Zhi Zao Ju Rd, Shanghai, 200011, People's Republic of China. .,National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China.
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Jacometti V, Sato CM, Meireles DA, Silva RHAD. Age estimation using London Atlas methodology: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Forensic Sci Int 2023; 342:111532. [PMID: 36462471 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2022.111532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Age estimation is a fundamental competence of Forensic Anthropologists and Odontologists. The London Atlas is a dental development chart by AlQahtani et al. (2010) that gained recent notoriety due to its applicability in forensic scenarios. This study aimed to answer, by a systematic review of literature and meta-analysis, the following question: "on average, what is the deviation between real and estimated ages, when applying the London Atlas method in sub-adults?". This study was carried out according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). Five electronic databases were screened (PubMed, SciELO, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS), and active search was carried out. The quality assessment was performed by means of Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools for Systematic Reviews. The initial search resulted in 1021 studies, from which 24 filled the inclusion criteria. For the meta-analysis, 17 studies provided sufficient data. Out of these, eleven studies enabled meta-analysis of mean absolute difference values. Standardized mean differences were 0.02 years for MD and 0.78 for MAD. Analysis of subgroups was also accomplished by sex, and did not indicated heterogeneity between males and females. The London Atlas is an accurate age estimation method, presenting acceptable error and bias values worldwide. Despite the high heterogeneity of the studies, majority of studies presented a low risk of bias. Meta-analysis showed a non-significant and slight tendency of overestimating age, in total. Sub-group analysis showed modestly better results for boys than girls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Jacometti
- Department of Pathology and Legal Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto. Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, Vila Virginia, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14015-130, Brazil
| | - Cindy Maki Sato
- Department of Pathology and Legal Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto. Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, Vila Virginia, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14015-130, Brazil
| | - Daniely Amorim Meireles
- Department of Stomatology, Public Health and Forensic Odontology, School fo Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto. Avenida do Café, s/n, Bairro Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14040-904, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Henrique Alves da Silva
- Department of Stomatology, Public Health and Forensic Odontology, School fo Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto. Avenida do Café, s/n, Bairro Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14040-904, Brazil.
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El-Desouky SS, Kabbash IA. Age estimation of children based on open apex measurement in the developing permanent dentition: an Egyptian formula. Clin Oral Investig 2022; 27:1529-1539. [PMID: 36394611 PMCID: PMC10102106 DOI: 10.1007/s00784-022-04773-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Cameriere’s original formula based on open apex measurements is a reliable, clinically applicable method for dental age estimation in different populations children. Dental development may differ between Egyptian children and other ethnic populations which may affect dental age accuracy using Cameriere’s formula.
Aim
Firstly, to verify Cameriere’s original formula on large Egyptian children sample, secondly, to develop an Egyptian-specific formula based on Cameriere’s method.
Material and methods
A prospective cross-sectional study of 762 good quality Orthopantomograms (OPGs) of 5–15 aged healthy Egyptian children selected from Nile Delta governorates between August 2020 and December 2021. Chronological age (CA) was calculated by subtracting birth date from radiograph date. OPGs were analyzed for N0, S, Xi morphologic variables using Sidexis program after that dental age was calculated using Cameriere’s formula then compared to CA. Multiple linear regression model was used to adapt Cameriere’s formula to construct an Egyptian formula. The same sample was used to verify the new formula accuracy.
Results
A total of 1093 OPGs were collected; 762 OPGs which met inclusion criteria were analyzed. Cameriere’s original formula revealed − 0.59- and − 0.53-year underestimation of females and males dental age (DA) respectively (p < 0.001). Regression analysis using the morphologic variables showed that X4, X7, N0 contributed significantly to CA yielding Egyptian-specific formula. New formula showed − 0.12-year male underestimation and 0.1-year female overestimation (p > 0.05).
Conclusion
Egyptian formula was more accurate than Cameriere’s formula in Egyptian children.
Clinical relevance
Egyptian-specific formula decreases the gap between CA and DA, so a relative approximate age is obtained that helps proper diagnosis and treatment planning for orthodontic and pediatric dentistry problems.
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Employing the London Atlas in the Age Estimation of a Select South African Population. Dent J (Basel) 2022; 10:dj10090171. [PMID: 36135166 PMCID: PMC9497735 DOI: 10.3390/dj10090171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Dental age estimation in the living and deceased is a fundamental aspect of forensic sciences, civil cases, medico-legal proceedings and clinical dentistry. Accordingly, this study aimed to validate the accuracy and reproducibility of the London Atlas in a select South African sample of KwaZulu-Natal. In this cross-sectional study, 760 digital panoramic radiographs (n = 760) aged between 5.00 and 23.99 years were retrospectively reviewed through consecutive sampling. Each radiograph was assessed and assigned a dental age in accordance with the London Atlas of Human Tooth Development and Eruption by AlQahtani et al. (2010). The London Atlas overestimated age with a mean difference of −0.85 to −1.26 years in the selected South African sample of KwaZulu-Natal. A statistically significant difference between the chronological and estimated dental ages was recorded. Furthermore, the South African Black and Indian males had a higher overestimation of age than their female counterparts, with a mean difference of 0.13 and 0.07 years, respectively. This overestimation was less in the South African Indian population in comparison to the SA Black population. This outcome resulted in the creation of the KZN population- and sex-specific charts and atlases for the two selected cohorts of KwaZulu-Natal. The KZN Atlases were found to be more accurate in the selected sample, with a mean absolute error of 0.57 years and no statistically significant differences between the chronological and estimated dental ages.
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González-Colmenares G, Barraza Salcedo MDS, Bernal-Ortiz N, Cepeda-Rojas JN, Pérez-Tobón XA, Rojas-López JJ, Rodríguez-Orcasita IM, Rodríguez-Hernández PC. Estimation of dental age in a sample of Colombian population using the London Atlas. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL: REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2022.100271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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Duangto P, Janhom A, Iamaroon A. Age estimation using the London Atlas in a Thai population. AUST J FORENSIC SCI 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/00450618.2022.2040588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Phuwadon Duangto
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand
| | - Apirum Janhom
- Department of Oral Biology and Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Anak Iamaroon
- Department of Oral Biology and Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Excellence Center in Osteology Research and Training Center (ORTC), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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Minor migrants' age estimation: Comparison of two dental methods. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2021; 3:100134. [PMID: 33532722 PMCID: PMC7829137 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2021.100134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In case of minor migrants, absence of valid identification documents that clearly define age is a critical issue, because without these data the child cannot enjoy the rights provided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Differentiation between minors and adults is fundamental when age is disputed in human identification, asylum seeking, criminal liability, and child abuse fields. Few indications are available about qualitative/statistical agreement of different age estimation methods. Ages of 301 individuals were estimated through two dental methods in order to: determine quantitative and statistical agreements in legal age definition; identify practical recommendations. The study pointed out discrepancy between the two methods in 7/301 cases. From a statistical point of view, this finding corresponded to an almost perfect agreement. Thus, authors suggested that the two methods can be alternately used for legal age assessment, but operators should use both methods when the estimated age is 18.5 years.
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Age estimation in the living: A scoping review of population data for skeletal and dental methods. Forensic Sci Int 2021; 320:110689. [PMID: 33561788 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Age estimation of living individuals has become a crucial part of the forensic practice, especially due to the global increase in cross-border migration. The low rate of birth registration in many countries, hence of identification documents of migrants, especially in Africa and Asia, highlights the importance of reliable methods for age estimation of living individuals. Despite the fact that a number of skeletal and dental methods for age estimation have been developed, their main limitation is that they are based on specific reference samples and there is still no consensus among researchers on whether these methods can be applied to all populations. Though this issue remains still unsolved, population information at a glance could be useful for forensic practitioners dealing with such issues. This study aims at presenting a scoping review and mapping of the current situation concerning population data for skeletal (hand-wrist and clavicle) and dental methods (teeth eruption and third molar formation) for age estimation in the living. Two hundred studies on the rate of skeletal maturation and four hundred thirty-nine on the rate of dental maturation were found, covering the period from 1952 and 2020 for a total of ninety-eight countries. For most of the western and central African countries there are currently no data on the rate of skeletal and dental maturation. The same applies to the countries of the Middle East, as well as the eastern European countries, especially as regard the skeletal development.
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