Nuzzolese Emilio, Di Vella Giancarlo
Int Dent J. 2008 Jun;58(3):122-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1875-595x.2008.tb00186.x.
Age estimation is useful in forensic investigations to aid in the process of identifying unknown victims as well as living individuals. In many countries age estimation is commonly used to assist immigration authorities in deciding whether refugees or illegal migrants have reached that designated age that separates a juvenile from an adult. This is particularly important for the protection of unaccompanied minors. Italy is a country of great appeal for immigration as people from other Mediterranean countries can easily reach Italian coasts. In Italy, as in other western world countries, unaccompanied asylum seekers deemed to be under 18 face a very different path through the immigration system. They cannot be deported and are sent through a juvenile system where they have access to education programmes and may be granted a residence permit. The Section of Legal Medicine of the University of Bari was approached by Judges and Immigration Police with the question to assess the age of unaccompanied asylum seekers who claim to be below 18 years of age. The contribution of forensic odontologists for age estimation was recognised and since November 2006 age estimation of asylum seekers in Bari (Italy) relies on clinical and dental examination together with skeletal maturation as seen on radiographs of the left hand and wrist, the pelvis for iliac crests and root development and mineralisation of third molars as seen on an orthopantomogram.
年龄估计在法医调查中很有用，有助于识别身份不明的受害者以及在世人员。在许多国家，年龄估计通常用于协助移民当局决定难民或非法移民是否已达到区分未成年人和成年人的指定年龄。这对于保护无人陪伴的未成年人尤为重要。意大利是一个对移民极具吸引力的国家，因为来自其他地中海国家的人可以很容易地抵达意大利海岸。在意大利，与其他西方国家一样，被认为未满18岁的无人陪伴寻求庇护者在移民系统中面临截然不同的路径。他们不能被驱逐出境，而是被送入一个青少年系统，在那里他们可以参加教育项目，并可能获得居留许可。巴里大学法医学系接到法官和移民警察的询问，要求评估声称未满18岁的无人陪伴寻求庇护者的年龄。法医牙科学者在年龄估计方面的贡献得到认可，自2006年11月以来，巴里（意大利）寻求庇护者的年龄估计依赖于临床和牙科检查，以及左手和手腕X光片、骨盆髂嵴X光片、第三磨牙牙根发育和矿化情况（在曲面断层片上可见）所显示的骨骼成熟度。
