Age estimation plays a very important role in individual recognition in forensic dentistry. Morphological data of 3D pulp cavity of maxillary canines were acquired by oral and craniofacial CT scans. In accordance with inclusion criteria, CT data of 103 patients (51 males and 52 females) were collected at the Department of Radiology, Stomatological Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, China from September 2015 to August 2016. Mimics 17.0 software was used to measure pulp volume of maxillary canines and tooth volume, and to calculate the ratio of pulp volume/tooth volume. SPSS 16.0 software was utilized to analyze and establi- sh database. Linear regression analysis was applied to process data and to establish a linear regression equation for individual age: Y=69.137–621.200 (pulp volume/tooth volume), R=0.544. Subjects were grouped according to gender, deriving the inferred function of male age: Y=64.333–468.811 (pulp volume/tooth volume), R=0.435; the inferred function of female age: Y=76.445–843.186 (pulp volume/tooth volume), R=0.691. The ratio of pulp volume to tooth volume can be used to infer individual age, and can provide a new method and pathway for individual recognition in forensic dentistry.

KEY WORDS: Forensic dentistry; Maxillary canines; Pulp cavity morphology and volume; Identification; Age estimation.

LI, B.; XIU-PING, W.; HONG-SHANGGUAN; WU, X.; & KE-MING, Y. Morphology and volume of maxillary canine pulp cavity for individual age estimation in forensic dentistry. Int. J. Morphol., 35(3):1058-1062, 2017.