Morphometric study of teeth in age calculation.

The diagnostic usefulness of some morphometric parameters of teeth in age determination were studied. In the first series 173 central incisors from 13-83 year-old individuals were examined and in the second series 72 teeth from 30 individuals (aged 39 to 80 years). Root transparency and dentinal tubule diameter were the most reliable parameters on the basis of image analysis (IBAS system) of scanning electron microscopic images. These variables were used in multiple linear regression analyses which led to the exclusion of secondary dentine as it did not improve the fit and therefore did not help to explain the dependent variable. The precise measurement of the morphometric variables we used facilitates age determination, reducing the mean error reported by other authors who used subjective estimates. Our results document the limited effectiveness of these parameters in age estimation due to individual variations caused by genetic factors and chewing habits.