ESTIMATION OF AGE FROM ATTRITION OF TEETH IN DECOMPOSED DEAD BODIES- A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Objective:Age estimation is important in forensic medicine and odontology for identification of deceased victims and also for crimes and accidents. Various methods have been constructed and tested to estimate the age of young individuals. Among them are the physical examinations using anthropometric measurements, skeletal maturation, dental age estimation, a combination of dental development and anthropometric measurements and a combination of skeletal and tooth eruption. In cases of unknown and unclaimed decomposed bodies, age estimation from attrition of teeth is one of the important parameters. Material and Methods: In the present study, we retrospectively studied 80 cases of decomposed dead bodies centered on the attrition effect over the occlusal surface of molar teeth with the advancing age. Result and Conclusion: The attrition of teeth was mild in the young adult, moderate in middle aged and severe in old age. In this study, we concluded that the grade of attrition of teeth as per Gustafsons Method commensurate with the advancement of age of the person.