Binary decisions of artificial intelligence to classify third molar development around the legal age thresholds of 14, 16 and 18 years.

Third molar development is used for dental age estimation when all the other teeth are fully mature. In most medicolegal facilities, dental age estimation is an operator-dependent procedure. During the examination of unaccompanied and undocumented minors, this procedure may lead to binary decisions around age thresholds of legal interest, namely the ages of 14, 16 and 18 years. This study aimed to test the performance of artificial intelligence to classify individuals below and above the legal age thresholds of 14, 16 and 18 years using third molar development. The sample consisted of 11,640 panoramic radiographs (9680 used for training and 1960 used for validation) of males (n = 5400) and females (n = 6240) between 6 and 22.9 years. Computer-based image annotation was performed with V7 software (V7labs, London, UK). The region of interest was the mandibular left third molar (T38) outlined with a semi-automated contour. DenseNet121 was the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) of choice and was used with Transfer Learning. After Receiver-operating characteristic curves, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.87 and 0.86 to classify males and females below and above the age of 14, respectively. For the age threshold of 16, the AUC values were 0.88 (males) and 0.83 (females), while for the age of 18, AUC were 0.94 (males) and 0.83 (females). Specificity rates were always between 0.80 and 0.92. Artificial intelligence was able to classify male and females below and above the legal age thresholds of 14, 16 and 18 years with high accuracy.

An integrative literature review of the potential technical challenges in Forensic Odontology practice ­ an exploratory study / Uma revisão integrativa da literatura sobre os potenciais desafios técnicos na prática da Odontologia Forense ­ um estudo exploratório

Forensic Odontology deals with the presentation of dental evidence in a court of law. An academic exploration revealed instances of technical challenges within the field. This study endeavours to delve into the spheres where these challenges occur, with the core objective of enhancing the quality of practice. An integrative literature review was conducted using the online platforms SCOPUS and Web of Science. Based on the selection criteria, 29 pertinent papers dated 2000-2023 were included. Quantitative analysis of the categories of selected articles was performed using Microsoft Excel 2019 (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA). Technical concerns were reported in all facets of Forensic Odontology with the general role of expert witnesses being reported the most (n=8; 27.58%). Within the different facets of the field, age estimation was the most prominent area of concern (n=8; 27.58%) and child abuse and neglect (n=1; 3.57%) represented the least reported category. Findings indicate that there is a need to prioritize avenues to enhance the quality of practice in the general role of expert witnesses and the specific area of dental age estimation. To this end, increased support for researchers must be provided to help validate methodologies. It is advisable to institute mandatory formal training and proficiency testing within the field. Inadequate knowledge of dentists regarding child abuse and neglect has been noted, demonstrating the need for more dedicated quality training. Recommendations for Forensic Odontologists have been curated combining this study's results and the codes of ethics of various forensic organisations

A Odontologia Legal trata da apresentação de provas odontológicas em juízo. Uma exploração acadêmica revelou exemplos de desafios técnicos na área. Este estudo procura aprofundar as esferas onde estes desafios ocorrem, com o objetivo central de melhorar a qualidade da prática. Foi realizada uma revisão integrativa da literatura utilizando as plataformas online SCOPUS e Web of Science. Com base nos critérios de seleção, foram incluídos 29 artigos pertinentes datados de 2000-2023. A análise quantitativa das categorias dos artigos selecionados foi realizada no Microsoft Excel 2019 (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, EUA). Preocupações técnicas foram relatadas em todas as áreas da Odontologia Legal, sendo o papel geral dos peritos o mais relatado (n=8; 27,58%). Dentro das diferentes áreas de atuação, a estimativa da idade foi a área de preocupação mais proeminente (n=8; 27,58%), e o abuso infantil e a negligência (n=1; 3,57%) representaram a categoria menos relatada. Os resultados indicam que há uma necessidade de priorizar caminhos para melhorar a qualidade da prática no papel geral dos peritos e na área específica da estimativa da idade dental. Para este efeito, deve ser prestado maior apoio aos investigadores para ajudar a validar metodologias. É aconselhável instituir treinamento formal obrigatório e testes de proficiência na área. Foi observado um conhecimento inadequado dos dentistas sobre abuso e negligência infantil, demonstrando a necessidade de uma formação mais dedicada e de qualidade. As recomendações para Dentistas Forenses foram selecionadas combinando os resultados deste estudo e os códigos de ética de várias organizações forenses.

Biological profiling using the human mandible.

BACKGROUND: In the absence of soft tissue, skeletal remains are analyzed to identify the deceased. This assessment involves establishing the biological profile that aids medicolegal investigations and fulfils the right of the dead to be identified. Since the mandible is the strongest bone in the skull and easily identifiable, even when fragmented, this study aimed to systematically review its value in constructing the biological profile in the published literature. We searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature and collected cross-sectional studies published in English before 2021. A risk of bias assessment was completed based on Joanna Briggs Institute's critical appraisal tools. The data are presented descriptively and were analyzed using Microsoft Office Excel 365. HIGHLIGHT: Of the 104 eligible articles, 94 examined the sexual dimorphism of the mandible, while 25 attempted to estimate age. Ancestry and stature were the least explored biological characteristics (five and one articles, respectively). A metric analysis was the most common approach (n = 80), followed by morphological analysis and combined morphologic and metric techniques (n = 18 and n = 6, respectively). The results showed no statistically significant correlation between an individual's mandible and stature. Orthopantomogram radiography continues to be the most common radiographic technique for assessing the mandible. CONCLUSION: The mandible is reliable when used for sex estimation; however, caution should be exercised in relying solely on it for morphological assessments. This review provides guidance on estimating age, sex, and ancestry directly from mandibular specimens or radiographs.

A career in Forensic Odontology: it is not only about teeth / Odontologia Legal como carreira: não se trata apenas de dentes

Throughout the world, forensic odontology academic programmes have been designed and permeate discussions about international or local standard operational protocols, principles or guidelines requiring current technical and scientific knowledge. The heterogeneous groups of students who aim to pursue this career might have high educational and occupational aspirations that will be confronted with the labour markets. In this report, the authors briefly present aspects of the education and training that comprise the choice of a career in forensic odontology nowadays. In conclusion, the individual who opts for forensic odontology as a career must be prepared to find the confidence and resilience to practice professional skills in a unique and challenging field to comply with the society's expectation

Em todo o mundo, vários programas acadêmicos de Odontologia Legal têm sido criados e permeiam discussões sobre protocolos, princípios ou diretrizes operacionais, padrão internacional ou local, que exigem conhecimento técnico e científico atualizado. Os grupos heterogêneos de estudantes que pretendem seguir esta carreira poderão ter elevadas aspirações educativas e profissionais que serão confrontadas com os mercados de trabalho. Neste contexto, os autores apresentam brevemente aspectos da educação e formação que compõem a escolha de uma carreira em Odontologia Legal nos dias de hoje. Em conclusão, o indivíduo que opta pela Odontologia Legal como carreira deve estar preparado para encontrar confiança e resiliência para exercer habilidades profissionais em um campo único e desafiador para atender às expectativas da sociedade

Volumetric assessment of canines using post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) for sexual dimorphism in a Malaysian population.

Background: Recent research has explored volumetric assessment in three-dimensional (3D) imaging procedures for sexual dimorphism. The 3D techniques have enabled a more realistic, accurate, and non-invasive visualization of sex-related anatomical parameters, such as the size and shape of human teeth. Aim: To perform sexual dimorphism based on dental tissue volumes of permanent left maxillary and mandibular canines in a Malaysian population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 220 post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) scans of Malaysian subjects (114 males and 106 females) aged between 18 and 40 years old. The permanent left maxillary and mandibular canines were analysed based on the volume of their (I) enamel cap, (II) coronal dentine, and (III) root, as well as the combination between the three dental tissue volumes (DTV). 3D Slicer version 4.10.2 computer software was used to perform a semi-automated segmentation of the anatomic regions of interest of each tooth. Results: The DTV of the permanent left maxillary and mandibular canines showed sexual dimorphism as the males presented larger DTV than females (p < 0.05). After binary logistic regression, the DTV revealed an overall sex classification rate of 60 to 74.1%. The DTV of the permanent left mandibular canine had more discriminant power to correctly classify males and females compared to the left maxillary canine. Conclusions: The volumetric assessment of the dental tissues of the permanent left maxillary and mandibular canines could discriminate sex in the Malaysian population. Given the limited classification rate, this approach could act solely as a supplementary tool to existing sex estimation methods.

The radiographic diversity of dental patterns for human identification - Systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed to revisit the scientific literature related to the diversity of dental patterns observed in radiographs. The rationale was to find evidence to support dental human identifications. A systematic review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). Strategic search was accomplished in five electronic data sources (SciELO, Medline/Pubmed, Scopus, Open Grey and OATD) were searched. The study model of choice was observational analytical cross-sectional. The search resulted 4.337 entries. The sequential screening based on title, abstract and full-text reading led to 9 eligible studies (n = 5.700 panoramic radiographs) published between 2004 and 2021. Studies from Asian countries were predominant (e.g., South Korea, China, and India). All the studies showed low risk of bias (measured according to the Johanna Briggs Institute's critical appraisal tool for observational cross-sectional studies). Morphological, therapeutic, and pathological identifiers were charted from radiographs to create dental patterns across studies. Six studies (n = 2.553 individuals) had similar methodology and outcome metrics and were included in the quantitative analysis. A meta-analysis was performed and revealed a pooled diversity of the human dental pattern of 0.979 combining maxillary and mandibular teeth. The additional subgroup analysis with maxillary and mandibular teeth have a diversity rate of 0.897 and 0.924, respectively. The existing literature shows that human dental patterns are highly distinctive, especially if morphological, therapeutic and pathological dental features are combined. The diversity of dental identifiers found in the maxillary, mandibular and combined arches is hereby corroborated by this meta-analyzed systematic review. These outcomes support applications for evidence-based human identification.

3D segmentation of dental crown for volumetric age estimation with CBCT imaging.

In adult dental age estimation, segmentation of dental volumetric information from different tooth parts using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has proven beneficial in improving the regression model reliability. This segmentation method can be expanded in the crown part since the volumetric information in the crown is affected by attrition in the enamel and secondary dentine in the dentine and pulp chamber. CBCT scans from 99 patients aged between 20 and 60 were collected retrospectively. A total of 80 eligible teeth for each tooth type were used in this study. The enamel to dentine volume ratio (EDVR), pulp to dentine volume ratio (PDVR) and sex were used as independent variables to predict chronological age (CA). The EDVR was not affected by PDVR. The highest R2 was calculated from the maxillary canine (R2 = 0.6). The current approach in crown segmentation has proven to improve model performance in anterior maxillary teeth.

Application of the London Atlas Software App 2nd edition for the radiographic assessment of dental development.

Background: Assessing the dental development of children and adolescents is an important part of treatment planning. The radiographic visualization of dental developmental stages prior to age estimation is currently feasible by means of digital software apps. Testing the existing software tools is necessary to safeguard application in practice. This study applied the London Atlas Software App 2nd edition™ for dental age estimation in Brazilian children. Material and Methods: The software was applied to 1.104 digital panoramic radiographs of females (n = 509) and males (n = 595) with ages between 6 and 15.99 years (mean = 10.88 ± 2.84 years). The sample included at least 100 individuals similarly distributed based on sex within 10 age categories of one year each (6├ 15.99) years. Metrics of errors were quantified between the estimated (EA) and chronological (CA) ages. Results: The mean absolute errors among females and males were 0.56 and 0.60 years, respectively (overall = 0.58 years for the combined sample). The lower error values were observed in the age interval of 6 ├ 9.99 years. Error values above one year were detected in older age intervals (10 ├ 15.99 years). Statistically significant differences in dental development were not observed between females and males (p> 0.05). Conclusions: The London Atlas Software App 2nd edition led to specific error rates that can be acceptable for case-specific clinical applications. In the forensic field, caution is advised if the application is planned in the transition between late childhood and early adolescence - when third molars play a major role among the scarce developing teeth. Key words:Brazil, children, dental age estimation, forensic dentistry, radiology.

Diagnostic performance of convolutional neural networks for dental sexual dimorphism.

Convolutional neural networks (CNN) led to important solutions in the field of Computer Vision. More recently, forensic sciences benefited from the resources of artificial intelligence, especially in procedures that normally require operator-dependent steps. Forensic tools for sexual dimorphism based on morphological dental traits are available but have limited performance. This study aimed to test the application of a machine learning setup to distinguish females and males using dentomaxillofacial features from a radiographic dataset. The sample consisted of panoramic radiographs (n = 4003) of individuals in the age interval of 6 and 22.9 years. Image annotation was performed with V7 software (V7labs, London, UK). From Scratch (FS) and Transfer Learning (TL) CNN architectures were compared, and diagnostic accuracy tests were used. TL (82%) performed better than FS (71%). The correct classifications of females and males aged ≥ 15 years were 87% and 84%, respectively. For females and males < 15 years, the correct classifications were 80% and 83%, respectively. The Area Under the Curve (AUC) from Receiver-operating Characteristic (ROC) curves showed high classification accuracy between 0.87 and 0.91. The radio-diagnostic use of CNN for sexual dimorphism showed positive outcomes and promising forensic applications to the field of dental human identification.

Regressive changes of crown-root morphology and their volumetric segmentation for adult dental age estimation.

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) enables the assessment of regressive morphological changes in teeth, which can be used to predict chronological age (CA) in adults. As each tooth region is known to have different correlations with CA, this study aimed to segment and quantify the sectional volumes of the tooth crown and root from CBCT scans to test their correlations with the chronological age (CA). Seventy-five CBCT scans from individuals with age between 20 and 60 years were collected retrospectively from an existing database. A total of 192 intact maxillary anterior teeth fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The upper tooth volume ratio (UTVR), lower tooth volume ratio (LTVR), and sex were used as predictor variables. The UTVR and LTVR parameters were both found to be differently correlated to CA and independent from each other. Regression models were derived from each tooth, with the highest R2 being the maxillary lateral incisor (R2  = 0.67). Additional single predictor models using each ratio were capable of reliably predicting the CA. The segmentation approach in volumetric adult dental age estimation proved to be beneficial in enhancing the reliability of the regression model.

The role of women in Forensic Odontology / O papel da mulher na Odontologia Forense

This literature review aims to name the influential female pioneers who broke the conservative barriers in place for their gender and set the standards for those who followed in their paths as either dentists or forensic odontologists, with the purpose of increasing the visibility of their identities, feats, and positions of authority, hence, diminishing the states of exclusion that may be still practiced towards the recognition of their contributions to dentistry. It is our expectation that contemporary female forensic dentists can, by accessing this reading, acknowledge and promote the female performance in the forensic field, from its beginning to the present time, and be reassured of the representation and the excellence of women in it. We anticipate that all these professionals' names will not be mentioned due to lack of information from sound resources or unawareness. We also hope to witness similar literature reviews in the future

Esta revisão de literatura tem como objetivo nomear as influentes pioneiras que romperam as barreiras conservadoras de gênero e estabeleceram os padrões para aquelas que seguiram seus caminhos como dentistas forenses ou odontolegistas, com o objetivo de aumentar a visibilidade de suas identidades, feitos e posições de autoridade, diminuindo, assim, os estados de exclusão que ainda podem ser praticados para o reconhecimento de suas contribuições para a Odontologia. É nossa expectativa que as odontolegistas contemporâneas possam, ao acessar essa leitura, reconhecer e promover a atuação feminina no campo forense, desde o seu início até os dias atuais e ter a certeza da representação e da excelência da mulher nela. É possível que outros nomes não foram mencionados por falta de informação segura ou desconhecimento. Também esperamos testemunhar revisões de literatura semelhantes no futuro

Effects of incineration to different dental materials used in prosthodontics: a systematic literature review / Efeitos da incineração em diferentes materiais odontológicos usados em prótese dentária ­ revisão sistemática de literatura

Comprehensive data for the detectable changes occurring when various prosthodontic devices are exposed to elevated temperatures is still poorly recorded. The present study aimed to revisit the scientific literature in order to systematically review and assess experimental studies that analyze the effects of high temperature on different materials used in prosthodontics. A systematic literature review was structured according to PRISMA. Four primary electronic databases and one source of grey literature were searched. Only academic and peer-reviewed original experimental studies and proceedings of scientific conferences were included. The risk of bias was assessed using formulated questions by the authors adapted from the strategy proposed by Onofre et al. 2014. The search resulted in 1526 scientific articles, from which met the eligibility criteria. Out of the eligible studies, 60% exhibited a medium risk of bias, which demonstrates a positive characteristic of the present study. Results showed that the detectable changes due to extreme heat observed in the included studies were dependent on the type of prosthodontic device exposed and the type of material used in its fabrication. The data gathered from this study could aid further in the analysis and identification when dealing with incinerated remains

Dados abrangentes sobre as mudanças detectáveis que ocorrem quando vários dispositivos protéticos são expostos a temperaturas elevadas ainda são pouco registrados. O presente estudo teve como objetivo revisitar a literatura científica a fim de revisar e avaliar sistematicamente estudos experimentais que analisam os efeitos da alta temperatura em diferentes materiais utilizados em prótese. Uma revisão sistemática da literatura foi estruturada de acordo com PRISMA. Quatro bases de dados foram pesquisadas e uma fonte de literatura cinzenta (grey literature) foi selecionada. Apenas estudos acadêmicos de revisão, experimentais, originais e revisados por pares e anais de conferências científicas foram incluídos. O risco de viés foi avaliado por meio de questões formuladas pelos autores e adaptadas usando a estratégia proposta por Onofre et al. (2014). A busca resultou em 1526 artigos científicos, dos quais atenderam aos critérios de elegibilidade. Dos estudos elegíveis, 60% apresentaram risco médio de viés, o que demonstra uma característica positiva do presente estudo. Os resultados mostraram que as alterações detectáveis devido ao calor extremo observadas nos estudos incluídos foram dependentes do tipo de dispositivo protético exposto e do tipo de material utilizado em sua fabricação. Os dados coletados neste estudo podem auxiliar ainda mais na análise e identificação quando se trata de restos incinerados

CBCT in dental age estimation: A systematic review and meta analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the reproducibility of dental age estimation methods in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and the correlation between dental (DA) and chronological (CA) ages. METHODS: The scientific literature was searched in six databases (PubMed, Scopus, LILACS, Web of Science, SciELO, and OATD). Only observational studies were selected. Within each study, the outcomes of interest were (I) the quantified reproducibility of the method (κ statistics and Intraclass correlation coefficient); and (II) the correlation (r) between the dental and chronological ages. A random-effect three-level meta-analysis was conducted alongside moderator analysis based on methods, arch (maxillary/mandibular), population, and number of roots. RESULTS: From 671 studies, 39 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, with one study reporting two different methods. The methods used in the studies were divided into metric (n = 17), volumetric (n = 20), staging (n = 2), and atlas (n = 1). All studies reported high examiner reproducibility. Group 1 (metric and volumetric) provided a high inverse weighted r ([Formula: see text] = -0.71, CI [-0.79,-0.61]), and Group 2 (staging) provided a medium-weighted r ([Formula: see text] = 0.49, CI [0.44, 0.53]). Moderator analysis on Group one did not show statistically significant differences between methods, tooth position, arch, and number of roots. An exception was detected in the analysis based on population (Southeast Asia, [Formula: see text] = -0.89, CI [-0.94,-0.81]). CONCLUSION: There is high evidence that CBCT methods are reproducible and reliable in dental age estimation. Quantitative metric and volumetric analysis demonstrated better performance in predicting chronological age than staging. Future studies exploring population-specific variability for age estimation with metric and volumetric CBCT analysis may prove beneficial.

Exploring the use of selfies in human identification.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The comparison of post-mortem evidence to ante-mortem data is the usual approach Forensic Odontologists take in managing human identification cases. Although dental charts and radiographs are widely used as ante-mortem dental evidence, photographs, including non-clinical ones such as selfies are not regarded as such. Therefore, photographs are not regularly assessed in identifying the deceased. This cross-sectional study was aimed to investigate the possible contributions of selfies in human identification and to suggest a structured methodology to assess selfie images with the data collected. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An e-survey composed of five open and seven close-ended questions was designed using JISC Online Surveys program (2020) to explore the opinions of practising Forensic Odontologists and related professionals on the use of photographs and selfies in human identification. Responses to the survey were collected and analysed into descriptive charts and statistics. RESULTS: Eighty-two out of 200 professionals completed their responses (40.8% response rate). 73.2% of them acknowledged that selfies could be used as a main or adjunct evidence in dental identification. Experienced participants in selfies assessed dental anatomy (n = 6), dental restorations (n = 6), craniofacial landmarks (n = 5), oral soft tissues (n = 3), and implement the use of photo-editing software (n = 3) when provided with photographs to analyze using the direct comparison technique. CONCLUSION: It may be concluded that selfies could be supplementary dental ante-mortem evidence. The designing of a step-by-step visual analysis of dental characteristics on a selfie photograph could subsequently be incorporated into official Forensic Odontology association guidelines worldwide. Further research in this area should be carried out along with the advancements in technology.

Age Estimation Using Monoradicular Teeth by comparing Pulp/Tooth Area Ratios between Bucco-lingual and Mesio-distal Periapical Radiographs.

BACKGROUND: Age estimation is an integral tool in identification of the victims when visual identification is not possible. Secondary dentin deposition is a regular ageing process and can be utilized in dental age estimation when development and eruption parameters cannot be utilized. METHODS: In total, 38 monoradicular teeth of Nepalese subjects were assessed for tooth pulp ratio. Intraoral periapical radiographs of these teeth were taken, and pulp tooth ratio was calculated and dental age was estimated. RESULTS: The mean chronological age was 46.79 years and the mean estimated age was 44.32 years. The pulp/tooth area ratios calculated were in the range of 0.012 to 0.195, and 0.052 to 0.256 for mesio-distal and bucco-lingual planes respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Pulp tooth ratio of maxillary lateral incisors and mandibular lateral incisors showed the highest correlation with values of 90% and 76% respectively. Mesio-distal assessment was more accurate in dental age estimation than bucco-lingual view.

Collateral issues in times of COVID-19: child abuse, domestic violence and femicide

Worldwide there is evidence of the increase of violence against women (gender-based) and children (gender and age-based) during the global pandemic of COVID-19. This literature review offers an overview of data on domestic and intimate partner violence (IPV) as it currently stands in some countries during the pandemic, describing deep psychosocial issues that illustrate the intergenerational transmission of violent actions, uncovering how these acts are unconsciously reproduced within families serving as a sign for the lack of conscious differentiation between them and the cultural, socio-economic norms of the contexts in which they are immersed, contexts that act as if normalizing the brutality of gender inequality [violence as a representation of masculinity], minimizing the effects of witnessing to violence, and/or practicing violence as a form of discipline. Furthermore, it also includes recommendations that aim to mitigate risks and consequences of violence and emphasizes the urgency that must be in place to guarantee public access to health care services adapted to our new reality/COVID-19. In conclusion, we accentuate that the pandemic might accelerate the development of creative and original public measures on decision making that target vulnerable women and children and make them regular in case they are judged efficient in face of an ever-growing phenomenon, that is the unfortunate banalization of the effects of violent acts and narratives.

Forensic dental identification using two-dimensional photographs of a smile and three-dimensional dental models: A 2D-3D superimposition method.

Photographs of a person smiling may provide valuable information about their anterior dentition. These images can be an alternative ante-mortem (AM) dental source in cases with no dental records, which gives the forensic odontologist a significant opportunity for comparative dental analysis. There are no reported studies that have investigated the reliability of a superimposition technique using 2D photographs of a smile and 3D dental models in dental identification. The aim of this study was to explore novel odontological methods by combining 2D photographs with 3D dental models, simulating a dental identification scenario. The objective was to increase the accuracy of dental identification using an AM photograph with the aid of 3D imaging as an alternative to post-mortem (PM) photographs. The study comprised of 31 3D dental models (simulating PM information) and 35 digital photographs (simulating AM information). The data was analysed in two phases: Phase I- Visual Comparison of 2D-3D images and Phase II- 2D-3D superimposition after a wash out period. Both methods were analysed by the principal investigator. Further, one-third (ten) of the sample was evaluated by six raters (three experienced forensic odontologists and three forensic odontology MSc. students). The inter-rater agreement was assessed using intra-class correlation (ICC 2, 1, absolute). The results of the study suggest that the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability using 3D superimposition was highest (ICC ≈ 1.0). In summary, there was an increase in match rates and higher certainty among the opinions reached when using the 2D-3D superimposition method. The procedure attempted to reduce the limitations of previously existing 2D methods and is intended to assist forensic experts with an alternative method in dental identification when expressing conclusions on a case using photographs.

Automated Identification from Dental Data (AutoIDD): A new development in digital forensics.

There has been a significant expansion in the use of 3-dimensional (3D) dental images in recent years. In the field of forensic odontology, an automated 3D dental identification system could enhance the identification process. This study presents a novel method for automated human dental identification using 3D digital dental data by utilising a dental identification scenario. The total study sample was divided into two groups: Group A (120 dental models) and Group B (120 Intra-oral scans-IOS). Group A data was composed of 3D scanned dental models of post-orthodontic treated patients (30 maxillary and 30 mandibular). This data was considered as AM digital data. To generate an identical sample, the dental casts (60) of the same patients were retrieved and laser scanned. These models were considered as PM digital data. Group B data (IOS) was obtained from 30 study participants. To reconstruct a dental identification scenario 30 maxillary and 30 mandibular IOS were obtained from 30 participants and were considered as IOS-AM. After one year, another set of IOS (60) were acquired from the same participants and were considered as IOS-PM. The results showed that the AutoIDD (Automated Identification from Dental Data) software was consistent in accuracy; capable of differentiating "correct matches" (high match percentage) from "non-matches" (very low percentage) by 3D image superimposition. The match percentage of the maxillary and mandibular IOS ranged from 64 to 100% and 81-100 %, with a mean distance (mm) of 0.094 and 0.093 respectively. This study demonstrated the feasibility of using 3D scans through a new automated software - AutoIDD in digital forensics to assist the forensic expert in confirming the identity of a deceased individual from the available AM dental records.

Testing the London atlas for age estimation in Thai population.

Objectives: To test the London atlas for dental age (ADA) estimation in Thai population.Materials and methods: The London atlas for age estimation was tested in 111 digital panoramic radiographs of children (57 ♂ and 54 ♀) aged between 4.00 and 15.99 years. The difference between chronological age (CA) and ADA was investigated using a paired subjects t-test. The significance of the difference between CA and ADA was tested using the F-tests of the one-way ANOVA. The analysis of variance considered the effects of sex, age group and the interaction between sex and age group. Other analyses included the difference of ADA by age group and the comparison between CA and ADA by sex. SPSS Statistics 24 was used for all analyses (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL).Results: ADA correlated to CA with a discrepancy of 1.3 years maximum. There was no significant effect of sex (F (1, 87)=0.278, p = .600), age group (F (11, 87)=1.032, p = .426) and sex and age group (F (11, 87)=1.238, p = .275) between CA and ADA.Conclusions: The estimates of dental ages correlate and reasonably reflect the CAs of Thai children and adolescents for both males and females from age 4.00 to age 15.99.

Exploring the degrees of distortion in simulated human bite marks.

The properties of the skin and the posture of the body during photographic recording are factors that cause distortion in the bite mark injury. This study aimed to explore the degree of distortion between a 'touch mark' (method 1) and a 'bite mark' (method 2) on the left upper arm at three different positions (arm relaxed; arm flexed in two different positions). A pair of dental casts with biting edges coated in ink was used to create a mark in 30 subjects (6 ♂, 24 ♀) aged 20-50 years old. Photographs were taken using a Nikon DX digital camera (D5000). The mesiodistal widths and angle of rotations of both upper right central incisor and lower right central incisor and the inter-canine distances were analysed and compared with the true measurements using Adobe Photoshop CC 2017. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS Statistics 22 applying a 2 (mark type) × 3 (position) repeated measures ANOVA. For all measures studied, there was a statistically significant difference between mark types and positions. In the case of bite marks, a great degree of distortion was detected, and this increased further when changing the position of the arm. The findings demonstrated that skin properties and posture influence distortion. This could lead to inaccurate measurements and misleading pattern interpretation of bite mark injuries.