Estimation of Dental Age Using Coronal Pulp Cavity Index (CPCI) on Lower Second Premolar and First Molar with Periapical Radiographic Analysis

Abstract

Estimation of dental age in forensic odontology is crucial in biological dentistry Coronal Pulp Cavity Index (CPCI) as one method to check the correlation between the reduction of the coronal pulp cavity and chronological age. The present study aims to find out whether CPCI method can be used to estimate the dental age on lower second premolar and first molar with periapical radiographic analysis. The cross sectional study was conducted on 60 patients (30 males and 30 females) in the age range of 21 and 30 years. They were subjected to periapical radiographs on lower second premolar and first molar. The Coronal Pulp Cavity Height (CPCH) and Coronal Length (CL) was measured using vision measuring scope DC 3000 and electronic digital caliper. The values obtained were subjected into the formula of TCI = [CPCL × 100]/CL. The mean of TCI score and average chronological age were analyzed using paired T test to find out the correlation between the chronological age and the estimated dental age, P > 0.05 is considered as significant.  There was no significant difference between the estimated dental age and chronological age in both lower second premolars (p=0.119) and first molars (p=0.224). CPCI method can be used to estimate the dental age on healthy lower second premolar and first molar.