Estimate the Age of Han Adult Based on the PCV and PDI of Right First Molar Using Oral and Maxillofacial CBCT

doi:10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2023.230705

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective To explore the correlation between the actual age and the pulp chamber volume （PCV） and pulp dentinal index （PDI） of the right first molar based on Cone Beam Computed Tomography （CBCT） technology, and to construct a more accurate and convenient model for age estimation. Methods CBCT image data of 1 857 Han adults (883 males and 974 females) from the Department of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College were selected. The data were divided into training and validation sets at a ratio of 8∶2. A total of 1 485 training samples were used to construct the age inference model, and 372 samples were used to validate the accuracy of the model. The Mimics 21.0 software was used to measure the PCV and the PDI of the right first molar. Statistical analysis was conducted to determine their correlation with age, and their correlations with age and differences between different sexes and tooth positions were analyzed. Results The PCV and the PDI of the first molar showed a strong negative correlation with actual age （r values ranged from 0.82 to 0.89）. The differences in PCV and PDI between different sexes and tooth positions were statistically significant （P<0.05）.The age prediction model based on PDI was superior to that based on PCV. The model based on the PDI values of the two right first molars （y=73.72-44.15 x₃-28.27 x₄,where x₃ and x₄ are the PDI values of the right maxillary and mandibular first molars, respectively）was the best, with the R2 of 0.79 and an average absolute error of 4.90 years. Conclusion Both PCV and PDI of the first molar are effective indicators for age estimation. The age prediction model based on the PDI is more convenient and accurate than that based on the PCV, providing a more effective method for age estimation in forensic practice.

Key words: forensic anthropology, age estimation, cone beam computed tomography （CBCT）, first molar, dental pulp chamber, pulp dentinal index, Han population

CLC Number:

Yan-jie DING, Xiao ZHANG, Wen-li SHI, Zi-yi LI, Wei WANG, Shi-lin ZHANG, Gen-jie YANG, A-ji GUO, Bo JIN. Estimate the Age of Han Adult Based on the PCV and PDI of Right First Molar Using Oral and Maxillofacial CBCT[J]. Journal of Forensic Medicine, DOI: 10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2023.230705.

Figures/Tables 5

Fig. 1 Construction of the three-dimensional model of the dental pulp chamber

Fig. 2 Schematic diagram of the PDI parametermeasurement plane

Tab. 1 Correlations between various measurement indexes and age

测量指标	最小值	最大值	$x ¯$ ±s	r
右上颌第一磨牙髓室体积（x₁）/mm³	6.53	55.00	21.19±6.74	0.86
右下颌第一磨牙髓室体积（x₂）/mm³	6.39	48.43	18.37±6.10	0.82
右侧第一磨牙髓室体积（x₁和x₂均值）/mm³	6.39	55.00	19.78±6.58	0.87
右上颌第一磨牙PDI（x₃）	0.09	0.96	0.43±0.18	0.86
右下颌第一磨牙PDI（x₄）	0.14	1.19	0.50±0.17	0.82
右侧第一磨牙PDI（x₃和x₄均值）	0.09	1.19	0.46±0.18	0.89

Tab. 1 Correlations between various measurement indexes and age

测量指标	最小值	最大值	$x ¯$ ±s	r
右上颌第一磨牙髓室体积（x₁）/mm³	6.53	55.00	21.19±6.74	0.86
右下颌第一磨牙髓室体积（x₂）/mm³	6.39	48.43	18.37±6.10	0.82
右侧第一磨牙髓室体积（x₁和x₂均值）/mm³	6.39	55.00	19.78±6.58	0.87
右上颌第一磨牙PDI（x₃）	0.09	0.96	0.43±0.18	0.86
右下颌第一磨牙PDI（x₄）	0.14	1.19	0.50±0.17	0.82
右侧第一磨牙PDI（x₃和x₄均值）	0.09	1.19	0.46±0.18	0.89

Tab. 2 Statistical analysis in various measurement indexes of the right first molar betweendifferent genders and tooth positions

测量指标	总样本（n=1 857）	男性（n=883）	女性（n=974）
右上颌第一磨牙髓室体积（x₁）/mm³	21.19±6.74	22.34±6.78	20.14±6.52^1）
右下颌第一磨牙髓室体积（x₂）/mm³	18.37±6.10^2）	19.29±6.03^2）	17.54±6.04^1）2）
右侧第一磨牙髓室体积（x₁和x₂均值）/mm³	19.78±6.42	20.82±6.59	18.84±6.42^1）
右上颌第一磨牙PDI（x₃）	0.43±0.18	0.42±0.18	0.44±0.18^1）
右上颌第一磨牙PDI（x₄）	0.50±0.17^2）	0.49±0.17^2）	0.50±0.17^1）2）
右侧第一磨牙PDI（x₃和x₄均值）	0.47±0.18	0.46±0.17	0.47±0.18^1）

Tab. 3 Prediction model of the right first permanent molar measurement indexes with chronological age

测量指标	推断模型	R²	MAE/岁
右上颌第一磨牙髓室体积（x₁）/mm³	y=69.92-1.48 x₁	0.74	5.71
右下颌第一磨牙髓室体积（x₂）/mm³	y=67.29-1.56 x₂	0.67	6.24
右侧第一磨牙髓室体积（x₁+x₂）/mm³	y=70.98-0.59 x₁-1.01 x₂	0.76	5.59
右上颌第一磨牙PDI（x₃）	y=69.17-66.47 x₃	0.75	5.61
右上颌第一磨牙PDI（x₄）	y=73.65-65.79 x₄	0.68	6.16
右侧第一磨牙PDI（x₃+x₄）	y=73.72-44.15 x₃-28.27 x₄	0.79	4.90

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