Age Estimation Using the Tooth Coronal Index on Mandibular First Premolars on Digital Panoramic Radiographs in an Indian Population

Objectives: Age estimation is a crucial aspect of forensic odontology, and the Tooth Coronal Index (TCI) has been widely used for forensic purposes in determining age. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of TCI in age estimation. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted, and TCI was calculated for the mandibular first premolar in 700 digital panoramic radiographs. Age was divided into five groups: 20-30 years, 31-40 years, 41-50 years, 51-60 years, and >61 years. Bivariate correlation was used to establish the relationship between TCI and age. Linear regression was calculated for the different age groups and genders. Inter-observer reliability and agreement were assessed using one-way ANOVA. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Comparison of the mean difference from actual age showed underestimation in males aged 20-30 years and overestimation in males over 60 years of age. The least difference between actual and calculated age was found in females aged 31-40 years. Inter-age comparison using ANOVA for females demonstrated a statistically highly significant difference from actual age in all age groups (P<0.01), with the highest mean in females aged 51-60 years and the lowest in females aged 31-40 years. Inter-group comparison of mean TCI revealed statistically non-significant differences in males and statistically highly significant differences in females (P<0.01). Conclusion: Age estimation using TCI on mandibular first premolars can be recommended as an easy, non-invasive, and less time-consuming method. This study suggests that regression formulas were more accurate for males aged 31-40 years.