Altersabh?ngigkeit der Sekund?rdentinanlagerung im Pulpencavum

This study examined whether increasing apposition of secondary dentin in the pulp cavity of healthy and vital teeth observable throughout life could represent a suitable criterion for forensic odontological age estimation in juveniles, adolescents and young adults. For this purpose 1,299 conventional orthopantomograms of 650 female and 649 male Germans in the age group between 15 and 40 years were studied. The scale of secondary dentin apposition of the mandibular premolars was determined on the basis of a 3-stage classification system. A pulp horn reaching as far as the crown equator (stage 1) appeared at a minimum age of 15.12–18.01 years depending on sex and the tooth studied. A pulp horn located between the crown equator and the cementoenamel junction as a result of advanced secondary dentin apposition (stage 2) occurred at a minimum age of 19.61–33.08 years depending on sex and the tooth studied. Thus the evaluation of secondary dentin apposition can be helpful in establishing completion of both 14 years and 18 years of age.