Age estimation by teeth :a tooth can divulge anyone's age!

Forensic science refers to areas of endeavour that can be used in a judicial setting and accepted by the court and the general scientific community to separate truth from untruth, and Forensic Odontology is a part of this endeavour. The oral cavity is “where it all begins from!”. The human dentition can provide much information about the identification of an individual both in life and after death. The estimation of age at the time of death is an important step in the identification of human remains. If this age can be accurately estimated, it will significantly narrow the field of possible identities that will have to be compared to the remains in order to establish a positive identification. To achieve this there are many methods available to the forensic dentist, anthropologist and pathologist. Some of the more accurate methods of age estimation in the juvenile and younger adult, have been based on the assessment of the degree of dental development as it relates to chronological age. The aim of this book is to explore the various methods of estimating chronological age from the degree of dental development till the time of death.