OPG-based dental age estimation using a data-technical exploration of deep learning techniques.

Dental age estimation, a cornerstone in forensic age assessment, has been extensively tried and tested, yet manual methods are impeded by tedium and interobserver variability. Automated approaches using deep transfer learning encounter challenges like data scarcity, suboptimal training, and fine-tuning complexities, necessitating robust training methods. This study explores the impact of convolutional neural network hyperparameters, model complexity, training batch size, and sample quantity on age estimation.

Skeletal age estimation of living adolescents and young adults: A pilot study on conventional radiography versus magnetic resonance imaging and staging technique versus atlas method.

Objective: To compare conventional radiography (CR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the left hand/wrist and both clavicles for forensic age estimation of adolescents and young adults.

Materials And Methods: CR and MRI were prospectively conducted in 108 healthy Caucasian volunteers (52 males, 56 females) aged 16 to 21 years. Skeletal development was assessed by allocating stages (wrist, clavicles) and atlas standards (hand/wrist).

Quantifying the potential of morphological parameters for human dental identification: part 3-selecting the strongest skeletal identifiers in the mandible.

The current study aimed to select the best mandibular morphological identifiers. One-hundred eighty-five panoramic radiographs were retrospectively collected, in which four landmarks were located on the mandible: the most superior point of the condyle right/left (CONR/L), of the coronoid right/left (CORR/L), of the mandibular lingula right/left (LINR/L), and the most mesial point of the mental foramen right/left (MMFR/L). Five linear measurements, 6 angles, and 10 ratios were measured bilaterally.

Quantifying the potential of morphological parameters for human dental identification: part 2-selecting the strongest identifiers in mandibular permanent teeth.

The current study aimed to select the best dental morphological identifiers for human identification. Sixty-two panoramic radiographs were collected retrospectively, in which six measurements were performed on all seven mandibular left permanent teeth: tooth length (TL), crown length (CL), root length (RL), crown width (CW), cervical width (CEJW), and root width (RW). Nine length-width ratios were then calculated using these measurements.

Dental and Skeletal Imaging in Forensic Age Estimation: Disparities in Current Approaches and the Continuing Search for Optimization.

Medical imaging for forensic age estimation in living adolescents and young adults continues to be controversial and a subject of discussion. Because age estimation based on medical imaging is well studied, it is the current gold standard. However, large disparities exist between the centers conducting age estimation, both between and within countries.

Magnetic resonance imaging for forensic age estimation in living children and young adults: a systematic review.

The use of MRI in forensic age estimation has been explored extensively during the last decade. The authors of this paper synthesized the available MRI data for forensic age estimation in living children and young adults to provide a comprehensive overview that can guide age estimation practice and future research. To do so, the authors searched MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science, along with cited and citing articles and study registers.

The influence of motion artefacts on magnetic resonance imaging of the clavicles for age estimation.

Purpose: To determine how motion affects stage allocation to the clavicle's sternal end on MRI.

Materials And Methods: Eighteen volunteers (9 females, 9 males) between 14 and 30 years old were prospectively scanned with 3-T MRI. One resting-state scan was followed by five intentional motion scans.

Multi-factorial age estimation: A Bayesian approach combining dental and skeletal magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose: To study age estimation performance of combined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of all four third molars, the left wrist and both clavicles in a reference population of females and males. To study the value of adding anthropometric and sexual maturation data.

Materials And Methods: Three Tesla MRI of the three anatomical sites was prospectively conducted from March 2012 to May 2017 in 14- to 26-year-old healthy Caucasian volunteers (160 females, 138 males).

Effect of Lower Third Molar Segmentations on Automated Tooth Development Staging using a Convolutional Neural Network.

Staging third molar development is commonly used for age estimation in subadults. Automated developmental stage allocation to the mandibular left third molar in panoramic radiographs has been examined in a pilot study. This method used an AlexNet Deep Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) approach to stage lower left third molars, which had been selected by manually drawn bounding boxes around them.

Staging Clavicular Development on MRI: Pitfalls and Suggestions for Age Estimation.

Background: MRI of the clavicle's sternal end has been studied for age estimation. Several pitfalls have been noted, but how they affect age estimation performance remains unclear.

Purpose/hypothesis: To further study these pitfalls and to make suggestions for a proper use of clavicle MRI for forensic age estimation.

Forensic age estimation based on T1 SE and VIBE wrist MRI: do a one-fits-all staging technique and age estimation model apply?

Objectives: Providing recommendations for wrist MRI in age estimation by determining (1) which anatomical structures to include in the statistical model, (2) which MRI sequence to conduct, and (3) which staging technique to apply.

Methods: Radius and ulna were prospectively studied on 3 T MRI in 363 healthy Caucasian participants (185 females, 178 males) between 14 and 26 years old, using T1 spin echo (SE) and T1 gradient echo VIBE. Bone development was assessed applying a 5-stage staging technique with several amelioration attempts to optimise staging.

Magnetic resonance imaging of third molars in forensic age estimation: comparison of the Ghent and Graz protocols focusing on apical closure.

Purpose: To compare the Ghent and Graz magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols for third molars, focusing on the assessment of apical closure. To study the influence of (1) voxel size and (2) head fixation using a bite bar. To compare both protocols with a ground truth of apical development.

Third molar development: evaluation of nine tooth development registration techniques for age estimations.

Multiple third molar development registration techniques exist. Therefore the aim of this study was to detect which third molar development registration technique was most promising to use as a tool for subadult age estimation. On a collection of 1199 panoramic radiographs the development of all present third molars was registered following nine different registration techniques [Gleiser, Hunt (GH); Haavikko (HV); Demirjian (DM); Raungpaka (RA); Gustafson, Koch (GK); Harris, Nortje (HN); Kullman (KU); Moorrees (MO); Cameriere (CA)].

Estimating age of majority on third molars developmental stages in young adults from Thailand using a modified scoring technique.

The aim of this study was to achieve a referral database for dental age estimation of unaccompanied minors of Thai nationality. A total of 1199 orthopantomograms were collected from original Thai women and men equally divided in age categories between 15 and 24 years. On the radiographs, the developmental stage of the third molars was scored applying a modified scoring technique.

Implantation of an RFID-tag into human molars to reduce hard forensic identification labor. Part I: working principle.

Recently the tsunami disaster, the London bombings and the landfall of hurricane Katrina demonstrated once more the need for an accurate, quick and easy to handle identification system. The implantation of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag into a human tooth and the read-out of its information may give an answer to this problem. A description is given of the modification of an existing RFID-tag that was made for veterinary use.

Implantation of an RFID-tag into human molars to reduce hard forensic identification labor. Part 2: physical properties.

Modifying and implanting existing RFID-tags into extracted human molars was described previously [P. Thevissen, G. Poelman, B.