1 - Age Estimation of the Human Skeleton Flashcards
(45 cards)
What forms the basis for age estimation in the human skeleton?
1) Age results in linear increases in bone dimensions
2) Appearance and fusion of ossification centres occurs at similar points in development
3) Predictable / averaged eruption of teeth, their loss and also their replacement
What features can help identify juvenile bones?
1) Size
2) Proportions
3) Texture (undulating, granular articulating surfaces)
4) Fusion - or lack thereof
What 3 skeletal features provide accurate age estimation in fetal / infant skeletons?
Femur length (in utero)
Dental development (infant)
Bone fusion
What are 5 features of deciduous teeth?
Small
Constricted neck
Bulging crown
Roots of ANTERIOR teeth are elongated.
Roots of POSTERIOR teeth are flared.
In the context of ageing, which 3 categories of fusing bones are useful age estimation tools up until early adult life?
Midline fusions:
- Mandible (6-9 months)
- Frontal bone (1-2 years)
Epiphyseal fusion:
- Femur / hip bone (13-20 years) [puberty]
Late-fusing centres
- Medial clavicle
- Sacral bodies
What 3 aspects make up dental development?
Crown formation
Root formation
Eruption
What are the chronological changes that occur at the medial surface of the pubic symphysis?
Adolescent
Increasing age
Adult
Adolescent:
- Horizontal grooves
- No margin
Increasing age:
- Infilling of grooves
- Thicker margin
- Rim around joint surface
Old age:
- Irregular margin
- Pitted / porous surface
Which two groups of individuals developed pubic symphysis age estimations?
Suchey and Brooks
Todd, McKern and Stewart
Describe the functionality of Suchey and Brook’s age estimation method?
6 stages of sequential increasing age
Variation within each stage is accounted for with ‘early’ and ‘late’ examples.
**Separate age estimations exist for male and female.
Each phase in Suchey and Brooks has variation in age estimation. What happens to this variation with increasing phase number?
Increases.
Greater scatter, and becomes more positively skewed.
What age ranges are covered in Suchey and Brook’s symphysis age estimation tool?
10-80 years
Why might the data of higher phases within Suchey and Brooks have occurred?
Mismatch between chronological age and skeletal age - greater extent.
Environmental factors, lifestyle etc.
What two reasons explain why the first molar usually more worn in comparison to the third molar?
1) Eruption occurs 6 years apart.
M1 = 6 M2 = 12 M3 = 18
2) Usually a greater occlusal load on M1
What 3 factors can also rate of molar wear?
Diet
Disease
Non-dietary usage
What 3 causes of dental wear exist? And what is each one?
Attrition - inter-tooth contact
Abrasion - hard particulates
Erosion - chemical dissolution
What two microscopic dental markers within enamel can provide estimation into age at death?
Perikymata on enamel
Striae of retzius
How frequently do striae of Retzius occur?
7-8 day intervals
In bones, what radiological finding can show periods of halted growth?
Harris lines
Periods lacking in tooth development results in what finding?
Linear enamel hypoplasia
What type of process is most commonly used to determine age of adult skeletons?
Degenerative processes
What issue occurs with age estimation and increasing age however?
For what reasons?
Becomes less accurate with increasing age.
Greater variability due to factors such as diet, physical activity, trauma and disease.
What 4 features are analysed when age-estimating the auricular surface of the ilium?
1) Transverse organisation
2) Granularity
3) Porosity
4) Joint surface margin
What is the Spitalfield’s Known-age collection?
Sum of 5 scores to give a total score and subsequent age estimate.
What 5 scores are used within the revised auricular surface method?
1) Transverse organisation
2) Surface texture
3) Microporosity
4) Macroporosity
5) Apical changes
