Revista de investigación forense

Medico-Legal Age Estimation in Living Individual from a Portuguese Population: Third Molar Mineralization

Abstract

Mário Silva Branco, Dinis Pestana and Cristiana Palmela Pereira

According to the Study Group on Forensic Age Diagnostics (AGFAD), the radiological evaluation of third molar mineralization is a major criterion for chronological age estimation of living individuals. This investigation studied third molar development in 329 orthopantomograms (40.4% males) of Portuguese individuals, patients of Dental Medicine Faculty of Lisbon University, with an age range between 14,0 to 22,8 years, through five different methods (Demirjian, Haavikko, Harris and Nortjè, Kullman and Solari). The results show a better correlation, between real and estimated age, in Demirjian and Solari methods. Demirjian method was used to analyse the other results statistical variables. Third molar development occurs earlier, in average 9 months, in males, in stages D-G. In stage H there’s no significant difference. There’s no significant difference between mineralization of molars in the same arch, however, in the inter-arch comparison, the maxillary molars have a premature development, statistically different in stages F (males), G and H. The age 18 is reach in stage G and H, respectively, by females and males. Under the Portuguese Penal Code, section 19, the age is one of the factors of exceptional of criminal responsibility. For criminal pursuit, they state being minor than 16 years of age. This limit is reached for both sexes in the stadium F. However in any stage we can deduce the majority or minority in relation to the age of criminal responsibility. New studies about the influence of socioeconomic and genetic factors, in third molar development, are necessary.