Forensic Dentistry, Second Edition

age estimation from oral and dental structures 281

13.4.1 Gustafson Method

One of the most broadly referenced studies in forensic odontology is the work

by Gustafson on age estimation from teeth.^93 Gustafson made a multifaceted
attack on this subject by assessing six age-progressive changes:

1. Occlusal attrition. This is the wearing down of the occlusal sur-
   face, predominantly from grit in the diet (ignoring hyperfunctional
   issues in individuals with bruxism). The major issues that Gustafson
   did not deal with are (1) the virtual absence of grit in the modern,
   Westernized diet, so rates of wear can be inconsequential, and con-
   versely, (2) that rates of wear differ widely depending on the group

Table 13.9 (continued) Age of Achievement of Mineralization Stages of
Permanent Mandibular Teetha

Stage Subjects

Incisors

Canine

Premolars Molars
Central Lateral First Second First Second Third
9 WM 6.4 6.9 8.8 9.4 10.2 5.2 10.2 ...
BM 5.8 6.7 8.8 9.7 10.0 5.2 9.7 ...
WF 6.2 6.3 8.0 9.0 9.7 5.2 9.8 ...
BF 5.5 5.9 7.7 9.0 9.5 4.8 9.5 ...
(SD) (0.72) (0.73) (0.99) (0.90) (1.16) (0.70) (1.03) ...
10 WM 6.6 7.7 9.7 10.8 11.3 6.1 11.5 ...
BM 6.5 7.7 9.9 9.8 10.7 6.6 11.2 ...
WF 6.3 7.3 9.1 10.0 10.7 6.3 10.8 ...
BF 5.9 6.9 9.3 9.6 9.7 5.8 10.7 ...
(SD) (0.74) (0.86) (0.95) (0.91) (1.03) (0.71) (1.02) ...
11 WM 8.0 8.2 11.5 11.7 12.4 7.5 12.2 ...
BM 7.4 8.4 11.3 11.4 11.9 7.4 12.1 ...
WF 7.4 8.0 10.1 11.1 11.7 7.0 11.6 ...
BF 6.5 8.0 9.4 11.2 11.7 6.6 12.0 ...
(SD) (0.85) (0.99) (1.04) (1.00) (0.99) (1.05) (0.93) ...
12 WM 8.6 9.2 12.4 12.5 12.5 8.4 12.6 ...
BM 8.6 9.4 11.6 12.0 12.8 8.4 12.5 ...
WF 8.3 8.9 11.3 11.5 11.8 8.1 12.2 ...
BF 7.8 8.6 10.7 11.7 11.4 7.8 11.5 ...
(SD) (0.97) (1.01) (0.91) (0.95) (0.97) (0.87) (1.01) ...
13 WM ... ... ... ... ... 9.2 12.8 ...
BM ... ... ... ... ... 9.5 13.0 ...
WF ... ... ... ... ... 9.0 13.2 ...
BF ... ... ... ... ... 8.4 13.2 ...
(SD) ... ... ... ... ... (1.01) (1.21) ...
a Codes are the same as in Table 13.8.