ISPUB.COM The Internet Journal of Forensic Science Volume 4 Number 2 1 of 5 Efficacy Of Age Estimation In Forensic Dentistry Using Cemental Annulations As A Criteria I Kaur, D Shetty, A Manchanda, H Singh Citation I Kaur, D Shetty, A Manchanda, H Singh. Efficacy Of Age Estimation In Forensic Dentistry Using Cemental Annulations As A Criteria. The Internet Journal of Forensic Science. 2009 Volume 4 Number 2. Abstract Incremental lines in tooth cementum can be used as a reliable age marker as compared to other morphological or histological traits in the human skeleton. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between age and the number of incremental lines in human dental cementum and to ascertain best method of studying cementum using different microscope and imbibing medias like quinoline and distilled water. One dark-light band pair was considered as one annulation which corresponds to one year of age of individual. Our results showed that incremental lines are best viewed under polarizing microscope and visibility is further enhanced by adding different imbibing media like quinoline. INTRODUCTION An accurate method of age estimation is important for forensic investigators dealing with unknown bodies, parts of bodies or skeletons. The best method for estimating age at death from human skeletal tissue is currently unknown. The hard tissues of human dentition are able to resist decay and degradation long after other tissues are lost. Because of this, teeth can be useful indicator of some past variation in diet or of metabolic diseases and can also be of use for calculation of age at time of death. 1 General structural changes in teeth throughout the life are the basis for age estimation. The enamel, dentin, and cementum that comprise teeth have been used to estimate the chronological age of unidentified individuals. Because of its position cementum has not been used to the extent of enamel and dentin. However, the counting of cemental annulations may offer more accurate method for age estimation\in human beings. 2 Zander and Hurzeler stated that cementum is potentially a better age estimating tissue due to its unique location in the alveolar process. It has been hypothesised that these incremental lines in tooth cementum can be used as a more reliable age marker than any other morphological or histological traits in the human skeleton. This hypothesis is based on the biological factors of tooth cemental annulations (TCA) known so far. 3 The cementum consists primarily of uncalcified dense bundles of collagen fibrils. These bundles later become mineralized by hydroxyapatite crystals, whose varying orientations may be responsible for the optical effect of alternating light and dark layers. 4 The biological explanation for the alternating layers was given by Liberman and Schroeder who suggested that dark lines are the stop phases of mineralization during the continuous growth of fibroblasts, leading to change in mineral crystal orientation. This pattern is visible under the microscope as a series of alternating light and dark lines or bands, which are known as incremental lines of cementum. 5 The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between age and number of incremental lines in human dental cementum under different imbibing medias and to ascertain the best method of studying cementum MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was carried out in Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, ITS-CDSR, Ghaziabd. Study groups consisted of 24 tooth specimens (6 in each group) which were categorized, the details of which are given underneath. Group A:Freshly extracted tooth specimens from different individuals of known age. Group B:Freshly extracted tooth specimens from full mouth extraction case of a particular known age.