ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE


https://doi.org/10.5005/jp-journals-10057-0084
Journal of Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology
Volume 3 | Issue 3 | Year 2018

Age Changes in Dentin and Dental Pulp: A Radiographic Study


Shashank Gupta1, Garima Gupta2, Neha Gupta3

1Department of Medicine and Radiology, Mahatma Gandhi Dental College and Hospital, Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
2Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Gupta Dental and Implant Centre, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
3Department of Pathology, SMS Medical College, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Corresponding Author: Garima Gupta, Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Gupta Dental and Implant Centre, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, Phone: +91 9837743707, e-mail: 1garima6@gmail.com

How to cite this article Gupta S, Gupta G, Gupta N. Age Changes in Dentin and Dental Pulp: A Radiographic Study. J Mahatma Gandhi Univ Med Sci Tech 2018;3(3):82–87.

Source of support: Nil

Conflict of interest: None

ABSTRACT

Introduction: We are all biologically unique and become more diverse as we age, enhancing the spice of life with increasing variety. In many ways, the teeth are unique organs of the body; they are the most durable part of the skeleton. The gradual changes taking place in the dental tissue after the teeth are fully formed are of clinical importance and need to be recognized by the dental surgeon as being a normal finding and not a part of the disease process.

Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study is to estimate relationship between size of the pulp and the dentin with age and to know if there is a significant difference in size of the pulp and the dentin among various age groups. The clinical significance of the study will be to use the average tooth length and width obtained by this study as the standard guideline for age estimation and to utilize the results of the present study in forensic science and anthropology and as an aging biomarker.

Results: From the study, it was concluded that in both males and females there is decrease in root canal length and width with increasing age, which is attributed to secondary dentin formation. In the age group of 11–60, the length and width of pulp canals of mandibular central and lateral incisors decreased with the advancing age and this difference is statistically significant with the p value of less than 0.000.

Conclusion: In the future computer-assisted measurements, i.e., latest digital radiographic techniques are suggested to measure the above parameters; this may could throw light on forensic applications, medicolegal issues, and legal issues regarding age estimation by measuring root canal length and width.

Keywords: Age estimation, Pulp chamber width, Root canal width, Secondary dentin..

INTRODUCTION

We are all biologically unique and become more diverse as we age, enhancing the spice of life with increasing variety.1 In many ways, the teeth are unique organs of the body; they are the most durable part of the skeleton.2 The gradual changes taking place in the dental tissue after the teeth are fully formed are of clinical importance and need to be recognized by the dental surgeon as being a normal finding and not a part of the disease process.3 Teeth are the hardest bodily structures. Fully formed teeth show aging changes that mirror those seen systemically. Teeth can be used to give the age range for forensic science and anthropology.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Aims

  • To estimate relationship between size of the pulp and the dentin with age.
  • To know if there is a significant difference in size of the pulp and the dentin among various age groups.

Objectives

  • To use the average tooth length and width obtained by this study as the standard guideline for age estimation.
  • To utilize the results of the present study in forensic science and anthropology and as an aging biomarker.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Source of Data

A study was carried out in Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, NIMS Dental College, Jaipur, to estimate relationship between size of the pulp and the dentin with age.

Method of Collecting the Data

Inclusion Criteria

The study group comprised 200 apparently healthy subjects in the age group of 11–60 years of both sex, drawn from those attending the OPD of the Oral Medicine and Radiology Department/rural dental camps, which satisfied the inclusion criteria with patients’ written consent.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Mandibular incisors with any caries, attrition, abrasion, erosion, fracture, and restoration
  • Patients having any systemic disease that can cause calcification of the root canal
  • Patients who have undergone/undergoing corticosteroid therapy
  • If the radiographs of 31, 32, 41, and 42 show more than one root canal, then those radiographs will not be included in the study
  • Patient with severe periodontal disease

Methodology

A total of 200 normal subjects are divided into six age groups with equal sex distribution in the age range of 11–60 years.

EXAMINATION OF THE SUBJECTS

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Formulae used for analysis:

Multiple Group Comparison (Age Groups)

Analysis of variance—one-way classification

Snedecor’s F test

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

Table 1: Distribution of age groups and sex
GroupsAge (in years)MaleFemaleTotal
Group I11–20  20  20  40
Group II21–30  20  20  40
Group III31–40  20  20  40
Group IV41–50  20  20  40
Group V51–60  20  20  40
Total11–60100100200

Fig. 1: No. of participants

Fig. 2: Root canal length

Fig. 3: Root canal width

Fig. 4: Root canal length

Fig. 5: Root canal width

Fig. 6: Root canal length

Fig. 7: Root canal width

CONCLUSION

From the study, it can be concluded that in both males and females:

Fig. 8: Root canal length

Fig. 9: Root canal width

Table 2: Root canal length in mandibular central incisors in males
Age group (years)nMeanStd. deviationStd. errorMinimumMaximum
11–20  2018.74900.344080.0769418.1319.30
21–30  2018.30050.190880.0426818.0518.75
31–40  2017.46880.279750.0625617.0118.02
41–50  2016.41630.379500.0848615.9317.01
51–60  2014.29750.306440.0685213.6714.70
Total10017.04641.623750.1623813.6719.30

F = 668.960, p = 0.000 (highly significant)

Table 3: Root canal width in mandibular central incisors in males
Age group (years)nMeanStd. deviationStd. errorMinimumMaximum
11–20  201.81770.092870.020771.732.03
21–30  201.73710.018590.004161.701.77
31–40  201.34100.042410.009481.271.42
41–50  200.98350.082610.018470.641.03
51–60  200.67560.012620.002820.660.72
Total1001.31100.441990.044200.642.03

F = 1338.057, p = 0.000 (highly significant)

Table 4: Root canal length in mandibular central incisors in females
Age group (years)nMeanStd. deviationStd. errorMinimumMaximum
11–20  2018.70300.269410.0602418.1319.10
21–30  2018.12780.280310.0626817.6018.60
31–40  2017.46250.349730.0782016.7018.05
41–50  2016.48780.138490.0309716.1016.70
51–60  2014.37030.243750.0545013.8514.85
Total10017.03031.550090.1550113.8519.10

F = 820.833, p =0.000 (highly significant)

Table 5: Root canal width in mandibular central incisors in females
Age group (years)nMeanStd. deviationStd. errorMinimumMaximum
11–20  201.80910.114750.025661.562.00
21–30  201.73800.018310.004091.701.79
31–40  201.33100.047450.010611.251.41
41–50  200.98080.029350.006560.941.05
51–60  200.66610.010580.002370.650.68
Total1001.30500.443020.044300.652.00

F = 1428.141, p = 0.000 (highly significant)

Table 6: Root canal length in mandibular lateral incisors in males
Age group (years)nMeanStd. deviationStd. errorMinimumMaximum
11–20  2018.69800.292430.0462418.2619.55
21–30  2018.29780.227020.0359017.5218.81
31–40  2017.54880.190620.0301417.1718.13
41–50  2016.51160.227660.0360015.9717.13
51–60  2014.40090.284410.0449713.5514.85
Total10017.09141.560770.1103613.5519.55

F = 2824.343, p = 0.000 (highly significant)

Table 7: Root canal width in mandibular lateral incisors in males
Age group (years)nMeanStd. deviationStd. errorMinimumMaximum
11–20  201.80580.083730.018721.742.02
21–30  201.73300.038980.008721.611.78
31–40  201.35830.046350.010361.261.43
41–50  200.98080.029350.006560.941.05
51–60  200.66920.008800.001970.650.68
Total1001.30940.439730.043970.652.02

F = 2035.964, p = 0.000 (highly significant)

Table 8: Root canal length in mandibular lateral incisors in females
Age group (years)nMeanStd. deviationStd. errorMinimumMaximum
11–20  2018.76600.326510.0730118.3219.55
21–30  2018.36050.215080.0480917.9518.81
31–40  2017.55580.130080.0290917.3317.83
41–50  2016.53550.293270.0655815.9717.13
51–60  2014.30680.317550.0710113.5514.85
Total10017.104916.783017.426813.5519.55

F = 889.784, p = 0.000 (highly significant)

Table 9: Root canal width in mandibular lateral incisors in females
Age group (years)nMeanStd. deviationStd. errorMinimumMaximum
11–20  401.82450.089840.014211.742.02
21–30  401.73290.030900.004891.611.78
31–40  401.33390.048100.007611.241.43
41–50  400.99580.038000.006010.941.11
51–60  400.67000.007120.001130.650.68
Total2001.31140.440400.031140.652.02

F = 3710.212, p = 0.000 (highly significant)

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