Coronal pulp: An age biomarker – A cross-sectional radiographic study in children

BACKGROUND: Age plays an important role in personal identification, treatment planning, forensic dentistry, and legal issues. It is one of the key identification tools for distinguishing one person from another and one population from another. An intraoral radiographic technique for age estimation is an easier approach. The widely accepted age estimation method in children is the Demirjian system. Tooth coronal index is another method that gained popularity for adult age estimation. AIM: This study aims to estimate the tooth coronal index (TCI) of mandibular right and left second deciduous molar and its correlation with chronological age to derive a regression equation. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The present study is a cross-sectional radiographical study which is conducted in AME's Dental College and Hospital, Raichur, Karnataka, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 children aged 5–10 years were selected. Digital intraoral periapical radiographs were taken for right and left deciduous mandibular second molar. The length of the tooth crown and the coronal pulp cavity were measured. Statistical Analysis: Further, the data are subjected to student's unpaired t-test and ANOVA test for the statistical analysis and simple linear regression to derive the regression equation. RESULTS: TCI showed a statistically significant reduction with increasing age in both right and left mandibular deciduous second molar (P ≤ 0.05), and the strength of the correlation is moderate (r = −0.59) if age is correlated with TCI using simple linear regression. CONCLUSION: The tooth coronal index method is found as a simple, noninvasive, nondestructive and cost-effective method for age assessment in children.