The term “forensic” is a Latin word meaning forum or a place where legal matters are discussed. It’s a science that deals with discipline associated with the application of technology for recognition & investigation of offence & administrating this for justice with efforts of multidisciplinary team.²

Age estimation plays a role in forensic medicine in identification of bodies & in connection with crimes.³

The process involved in age estimation in adults involves an exterior inspection of the body & calculation of skeletal & dental developmental stages.⁴

The ossification of the bone indicates the skeletal maturation. Even the sexual maturity also depends on skeletal maturation.

The changes occurs in every bone that can be appreciated radiographically.the changes that occur is same in every individual.. The scheduling differs.⁵             

Surveys of the jaws & teeth have proved a simple & valuable technique in human identification because they are the most well conserved portions of human body.

Radiographs plays an crucial role in estimation of living organisms. Radiographs consumed in the procedure of age assessment, are indispensable tools in forensic odontology.^6,7

Dental radiographs are desirable pieces of antemortem evidence since they are highly objective in nature compared to other records.⁸

The technique of the stages of tooth development is best valued on radiographs seems to be more accurate in the approximation of age .

The radiographic methods are modest & include the recognition mineralization on roentgen pictures & their their comparison with average age range.⁹

The present study aims to measure, compare & evaluate various radioglogical landmarks as observed in lateral cephalogram, cervical vertebrae & orthopantogram, to asses their usefulness in age estimation. The study also aims to confirm between the noticed age predicted by radiographs readings(ceph markers), maturity variable(CVMI) & 3^rd molar developmental variable(OPG) resulted in any improvement in age estimation.

The evaluation of lateral cephalogram is done by Rai et al method, CVMI by Hassel & Farman & OPG by Demirjian’s method.

90 lateral cephalogram & OPGs of patients with age ranging from 10-25 years among them 72 females & 18 males were taken from orthodontic department who have come for the orthodontic treatment. Cases with congenital & skeletal anamolies of teeth or jaw were excluded. 1. For lateral cephalogram the Rai et al method was used (fig1 & 2) These were traced & measured in mm. 2. For 6 cervical vertebrae maturation indicators[CVMI] method used was modification of Lamparski’s criteria.10(FIG:3 & TABLE 1) Radiological in adults, the determination of age would be thought-provoking as the development of dentition is finished.11 3 Demirjian’s classification was used for 3rd molar development FIG(4) 1. Stage A: The tips of cusps started mineralizing but not yet fused 2. StageB: These mineralized cusp are fused & the fully formed crown is cleared defined. 3. StageC: Pulp chamber is marked & dentinal deposition has been started. 4. StageD: Crown is finished to DEJ; pulp chamber has trapezoid 5. StageE: The inter-radicular bifurcation has begun; The crown length is greater than root length. 6. StageF:The crown length is smaller than the root length ; Root endings are funnel shaped. 7. StageG: Roots are equivalent but apices remain disclosed. 8. StageH: Apical ends of the root are entirely sealed

• Regression analysis was performed by using the regression equation  Y= a+b(x) where ‘Y’ is dependent variable, ‘a’ is constant, ‘b’ is Regression co-efficient  & ‘x’ is independent variable .

• Determination of co-efficient(R²) & standard errors(SE) were obtained for all the three radiographic methods
• Gender specific formulas for age determination were also derived(fig:4)

The Statistical data was subjected by SPSS[Statistical package for social sciences] 20.0 version software. TABLE 2, 3 & 4.

In our study as per regression analysis the R² reading ranged from 86-88% in lateral cephalogram, 71-72% in OPG & 64-68% in CVMI. Higher the R² better is the prediction of age. This indicates that lateral cephalogram  analysis can predict age better than CVMI & OPG.

In cephalometric analysis ramus height, body length & mandibular length did not show much variation in R² reading. Hence any one of these measurements can be reliably used for age prediction. Patients included in our study are more than 50% who have reached their maturation hence lateral cephalogram is giving more accuracy in age estimation.  

According to Daya K. Jangam¹² et.al in their study they found the lateral cephalogram is more reliable method than OPG for age estimation which is correlating with our study.

 In our study there was no significant difference between right & left side of 3^rd molar for the assessment of developmental stages. This finding is coincident with Jashwant¹³ et al. 

According to our study the CVMI results obtained are least accurate for age estimation because more than 50% of the patients included in our study have reached their maturation stage. Hence this says that CVMI holds good for the growing age group.    

Kohler¹⁴ et al the growth of last molar cannot be measured without the commencement of calcification or when they are missing. The absence of  tooth itself is self explanatory about the age. Hence he built four assumption replicas. 1^st maxillary molar & mandibular molar existing; 2^nd maxillary molar existing; 3rd mandibular molar existing & 4^th no third molars existing. To extract greatest facts from each patient, the analysts used, ssupport with the missing configuration of the patients.

• Age estimation with lateral cephalogram, CVMI & OPGs can be used to make a significant prediction in areas of forensic dentistry. • The measurements & examination of skeletal & teeth are required to obtain accurate & reliable age estimation. FIG:1& 2 Co( Condylion),Go- Gonion , Gn- Gnathion; The mandibular ramus height Co-Go; The mandibular length Co-Gn; The mandibular body length Go-Gn Figure: 3 Stages of CVMI Fig:4 Demirjian`s classification system These developmental stages are expressed in numbers as follows: STAGE 0=0, STAGE A=1, STAGE B=2, STAGE C=3, STAGE D=4, STAGE E=5, STAGE F=6, STAGE G=7, STAGE H=8 TABLE: 1 CVMI(stage) Males age(yrs) Females age(yrs) CVMI-1 11.6 10.4 CVMI-2 12.3 10.7 CVMI-3 13.2 11.8 CVMI-4 14.2 12.8 CVMI-5 15.7 14.3 CVMI-6 17.2 16.3 Statistical analysis: Regression analysis was performed & determination of co-efficient(R2) & standard errors(SE) were obtained for all the three radiographic methods & Gender specific formulas for age determination were also derived. TABLE:2 Group Cephalogram measurement Regression equation Y= a+b(x) R2 SE of the estimate Male Ramus height (Co-Go) Body length (Go-Gn) Mandibular length(Co-Gn) Age=6.7+1.64(Co-Go) Age=6.3+1.36(Go-Gn) Age=5.4+0.92(Co-Gn) 88.7% 87.2% 88.4% 4.216 3.854 3.642 Female Ramus height (Co-Go) Body length (Go-Gn) Mandibular length(Co-Gn) Age=6.6+1.71(Co-Go) Age=6.4+1.41(Go-Gn) Age=5.6+0.95(Co-Gn) 86.4% 86.0% 86.3% 3.962 3.496 3.786 TABLE: 3 Group Regression equation Y=a+b(x) R2 SE of the Estimate Male Age=8.26+1.39(CVMI stage) 68.4% 1.02 Female Age=5.07+2.32(CVMI stage) 64.5% 1.36 TABLE: 4 Group Regression equation Y=a+b(x) R2 SE of the Estimate Male Age=9.34+1.62(DS) 72.2% 1.08 Female Age=8.52+1.84(DS) 71.1% 1.03 • DS-Developmental stages • R2- indicates the proportion of the explained variability in the response variable age. The variable that leads to highest R2 contains the maximum amount of information on age • SE-denotes the standard error of the estimate

1. Dennis CD. A companion to forensic anthropology. First edition 2012. Blackwell publishers page 202-223
2. Saxena S, Sharma P, Gupta N. Experimental studies of forensic odontology to aid in the identification process. J Forensic Dent Sci 2010;2(2):69-76.
3. Dental journal of Bangladesh. Age estimation of dental patients using OPGs.
4. Baumann P, widek T, Merkens H, Boldth J, Petrovic A, Urschler M et al. dental age estimation of living persons; comparision of MRI with OPG. Forensic science International. 2015;253:76-80
5. Hassel B, Farman AG; Skeletal maturation evaluation using cervical vertebrae. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop., 1995; 107(1): 58–66.
6. Ciapparelli L The chronology of dental development & age assessment. In; clark DH, practical forensic odontology. Oxford: wright Butterworth-Heinemann 1992:22-42.
7. Babar MG, Iqbal S, Jan A. essential guidelines for forensic dentistry. Pakistan Oral Dent J 2008;27:79-84.
8. Jangam D, Kale P, Fatema S. Age Determination Using Lateral Cephalogram and Orthopantomograph: A Comparative Study Sch. J.  App. Med. Sci., 2014; 2(3):987-990
9. Ranganathan K, Rooban T, Lakshminarayan V. forensic odontolo 2008;1:4-12
10. Dr. Suresh M, Dr.Basanagouda C, Dr.Vishwanath C, Dr Halkai  S Dr.Swathi B, Dr Bansal A. Assessment of Skeletal and Dental Maturation in Different Facial Types of South Indian Population – A Comparative Study” IOSR-JDMS,2016;15(8):122-129
11. Caroline Edward Ayad, Hiba Mahgoub Hamid, Elsafi Ahmed Abdalla& Samih Awad Kajoak. Estimation of Age for Sudanese Adults using Orthopantomographs Global Journal of Medical research: J Dentistry and Otolaryngology.2014;14(1):1
12. Darji JA, Govekar G, Kalele SD, Hariyani H; Age Estimation from Third Molar Development A Radiological Study. J Indian Acad Forensic Med.2011; 33(2):130-134
13. Dibbets JM, Nolte K; Effect of magnification on lateral cephalometric studies. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop., 2002; 122(2):196-201.
14. Kohler S, Schmelzle R, Loitz C; Development of wisdom teeth as a criterion of age determination. Ann Anat., 1994; 176: 339-345.