Preprint Review Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Evidence of Age Estimation Procedures in Forensic Dentistry: Results from an Umbrella Review

João Albernaz Neves
* ORCID logo ,
Luísa Bandeira Lopes
ORCID logo ,
Vanessa Machado
,
João Botelho
ORCID logo ,
Ana Delgado
,
José João Mendes
Version 1 : Received: 26 October 2023 / Approved: 27 October 2023 / Online: 27 October 2023 (09:26:27 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Neves, J.A.; Lopes, L.B.; Machado, V.; Botelho, J.; Delgado, A.S.; Mendes, J.J. Evidence of Age Estimation Procedures in Forensic Dentistry: Results from an Umbrella Review. Medicina 2024, 60, 42. Neves, J.A.; Lopes, L.B.; Machado, V.; Botelho, J.; Delgado, A.S.; Mendes, J.J. Evidence of Age Estimation Procedures in Forensic Dentistry: Results from an Umbrella Review. Medicina 2024, 60, 42.

Abstract

Age estimation is an important tool when dealing with human remains or undocumented minors. Although the skull, the skeleton or the hand-wrist are used on age estimation as maturity indicators, they often present lack of good conditions for a correct identification or estimation. Few systematic reviews (SRs) have been recently published; therefore, this umbrella review critically assesses their level of evidence and provides a general comprehensive view. An electronic database search was conducted in four databases (PubMed, Cochrane, WoS, LILACS) up to December 2022, focusing on SRs of age estimation through forensic dentistry procedures. The methodological quality was analyzed using the measurement tool to assess SRs criteria (AMSTAR2). Eighteen SRs were included, five of critically low quality, six of low quality, three of moderate quality and four of high quality. The SRs posited that Willems’ method is more accurate and less prone to overestimation; most methods seem to be geographically sensitive; and 3D-Imaging and artificial intelligence tools demonstrate high potential. The quality of evidence on age estimation using dental approaches was rated as low to moderate. Well-designed clinical trials and high standard systematic reviews are essential to corroborate the accuracy of the different procedures of age estimation in forensic dentistry.

Keywords

forensic dentistry; age estimation; dental maturation; umbrella review

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Dentistry and Oral Surgery

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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