This document discusses methods for estimating age in the living and deceased. It covers dental development, ossification of bones, and secondary sexual characteristics as indicators. For teeth, it describes the eruption schedule of both primary and permanent teeth. It also discusses Gustafson's method for estimating age based on characteristics in dental tissues seen in radiographs. For bones, it provides timelines for ossification at various sites. It notes the medicolegal importance of accurately determining age for issues like legal consent, criminal responsibility, and definitions of infant, child, juvenile, and adult. Overall, the document serves as a reference for the key physical indicators used to assess age in forensic cases.

1. Identification
Part -2
Dr Nikita Prabhakaran
Junior Resident
Department of Forensic Medicine
Thiruvananthapuram

3. • Gaurav Mukhi case
• “Youngest best player in ISL”
• “ Emerging player of the match” Award
• Alleged to be of over age
• ???????

4. Identification - 2

5. • Race
• Sex
•Age
• Stature

6. •Not the duty of other doctors !!!!!!!!!

7. • How to estimate age in the living and the dead?????

8. Major things to look for:
• (1) TEETH
• (2) BONE-ossification of bones
• (3)Secondary Sexual Characters
• (4) General Development- stature + psychomotor

9. Note:
• Infants- in utero features
• Children- general developmental milestones

10. Teeth
Temporary
teeth
Permanent
teeth
Physiological
changes

11. Alveolar cavity in mandible
3-4 month IU life
Cellular tooth germ
(crown)
Root grows
Lifting the
crown outside
Temporary
tooth eruption
At birth
Rudiments of all temporary
teeth + 1st permanent
molars
• Root reabsorbs
• Unsupported crown
falls off
• Permanent teeth
erupts

12. • Temporary Teeth = 2 incisors + 1 canine + 0 premolars + 2 molars
(5 * 4 = 20 teeth) 2102
2102
• Permanent Teeth = 2 incisors + 1 canine + 2 premolars + 3 molars
(8 * 4 = 32 teeth)
2123
2123

13. Temporary teeth Permanent Teeth
• Smaller, lighter, narrower (exception
temporary molars >>> permanent
premolars)
• Heavier, stronger, broader
• Anterior teeth - vertical • Inclined a little forward
• Milk white in colour • Ivory white in colour
• Quick attrition – less mineralisation • Less attrition
• Enamel- thinner • Thicker ( less constant)
• Marked constriction between
crown and root
• No such constriction

16. Temporary teeth Permanent Teeth
Anterior teeth-
Labial surface
Smoother Perikymata (depressions)
Incisal edges No mamelons Mamelons present
(wear away quickly)
Posterior teeth- Molars Buccal and lingual
surfaces-flatter
Less flat
Roots of molars Smaller + more divergent Larger+ less divergent

17. (8-12m)
8
10 18 14 24
6
(6-8m)
12
(12-14 m)
18
(18-20m)
14 24
(20-24m)
Upper
Lower
Medial Lateral

18. 6
8 10
12
18
18
14
14
24
24

19. 7
(7-8)
8
(8-9)
11
(11-12)
9
(9-11)
10
(10-12)
6
(6-7)
12
(12-14)
18
(>17)
Central
Incisor
Lateral
Incisor
Canine PM-1 PM-2 M-1 M-2 M-3

20. 7 8
9
10
11
6
12
18

21. Mixed Dentition
Age= (No: of permanent teeth – 5) * 4
Between the age of 6-11 years

22. Successional & Superadded teeth
• Successional- those permanent teeth that replace other teeth
• Super added- those added to the existing set of teeth, do not
replace any teeth ( eruption increases the number of teeth )

23. Gustafson’s Method
•>21 years old
• Physiological changes of age in dental tissues
•6 characteristics

24. • (1) Attrition- due to wear and tear from mastication
• (2) Periodontosis - regression of the gums
• (3) Secondary dentin – develop from the walls within the cavity
• (4) Cementum apposition- secondary cementum incremental lines
• (5) Root Resorption- starts at the apex
• (6) Root Transparency- >30 years – canals in the dentine (deposition)

25. Take the sum of
scores formula
AGE

26. Bone

28. CLAVICLE
Medial end
18-20 Yrs
22-23 Yrs

29. 6 m IU
7 m IU
9 m IU
60 Yrs
40 Yrs
STERNUM

30. acromion
coracoid
14 Yr
18 Yr
SCAPULA

31. head
greater
lesser
tuberosity
1 Yr
3 Yr
5 Yr
6 Yr
(16-18Yr)
capitulum
trochlea
Lateral epicondyle
13 Yr
11 Yr
2 Yr
14Yr
(14-17Yr)
Medial epicondyle
8 Yr

32. Upper end -radius
Lower end -radius
6 Yr
2 Yr 6 Yr
10 Yr
Upper end -ulna
Lower end -ulna
RADIUS AND ULNA
(14-17Yr)
(14-18Yr)

33. P
TQ
LS
CTM
H
TD
1- capitate
2-hamate
3-triquetral
4-lunate
5-trapezoid
5-scaphoid
6-trapezium
11-12-pisciform
CARPAL BONES
2
2-4
2-4
2-4
2-4 14-17 Yr

34. 14 yr (18 yr)
(11-14 yr)
(7-8 yr)
16 yr
(19 yr-F)
(21 yr -M)
PELVIS
Triradiate cartliage
Ilia crest
Ischial tuberosity
Ischiopubic ramus

36. 4-5 m IU
6-7 m IU
I
II
III
IV
V 8m IU (14 Yr)
(20-25) Yr
SACRUM

37. Head
Lower end of femur
1 yr
4 yr
11 yr
9 m IU
(15 yr)
(14- 17 yr)
(14- 17 yr)
(14- 17 yr)
FEMUR
Greater trochanter
Lesser trochanter

38. Upper end -Tibia
Lower end -Tibia
Just after birth
(14-17 yr)
2 yr
(14-17 yr)
4 yr
Upper end -Fibula
Lower end -Fibula
TIBIA AND FIBULA

39. (14-17 Yr)
TARSAL BONES
Calcaneum
5 m IU
Talus
7 m IU
Cuboid
9 m IU

40. 40-50 50
30-40
40-50
50-60
50-60
60-70
40-50
80
Cranial Sutures

41. Case
• A school student has won long jump in district level in the sub-junior
category
(sub-junior << 14 )
• Allegations came that she was above 16 years
????

43. Sexual development
•Tanners staging

44. General development

45. Age determination of foetus

46. Rule of Hasse
• First 5 months of IU life 
Crown-heel length=square of the months of gestation
• After that Age in lunar months * 5

47. 1st month/ 4 weeks
• I cm in length
• 2.5 g grey coloured oval mass= pigeons egg
• attached to the chorion with a very short cord
• limb buds nodules

49. 2nd month/ 8 weeks
• 4 cm
• Sex is indistinct
• Webbed hands and feet P

50. 3rd month/12 weeks
• 9 cm long
• Eyes are closed, pupillary memb++
• Sex – rarely indistinguishable

51. 4th month/ 16 weeks
• 13 to 16 cm long
• Sex distinguishable
• Convolutions of brain+
• Breast buds seen as dots
1/4th

52. 5th month/20 weeks
• 25 cm length
• Vernix caseosa ++
• Light hair in the head
• Lanugo on the body

55. 6th month/24 weeks
• 30 cm length
• Wrinkled appearance
• Eyebrows, eyelashes+
• Testicles –close to kidneys

56. 7th month/ 28 weeks
• Length:35 cm
• Thick finger nails( not reaching the tip)
• Eyelids partly open.
• Testes- ext inguinal ring
• Caecum in RIF+
• Period of viability

57. 8th month/32 weeks
• Length 40 cm
• Lanugo disappears from the face,
• Scalp hair thickens-1.5 cm length
• Nails have reached the tips
• Left testis descended

58. 9th month/36 weeks
• 45 - 47 cm
• Lanugo hair has complete disappeared
• Vernix caseosa at the flexures of joints

59. 10th month/40 weeks
• Full term
• Lanugo – absent except in shoulders
• Nails – project beyond, toenails reach tip
• Umbilicus-central part between xiphoid and
pubis
• Rectum : Dark brown meconium +

60. Medicolegal Importance of Age
• 3 months First trimester- one doctor is enough for MTP
• 4 months Quickening – quick unborn child Culpable
Homicide
• > 5 months- illegal MTP
• 7 months period of viability
• 1 year  Infant ( Infanticide)

61. • 5 years < 5 years in the custody of the mother
• (The Hindu minority and guardianship)
• 7 years Criminal responsibility
“ any act done by a child less than 7 years is not an offence (s 82 IPC)”
7-12 years: if he proves he did not attain such understanding-not
punishable
Exception: 5 years Railway act : child above 5 years should be held
responsible for wrecking a train

63. • 10 years
• Child < 10 years - kidnapped/ abducted punishment
10years  property is stolen Kidnapping
16 years (males) from local
guardianship
Kidnapping
18 years (females) from
local guardianship
Kidnapping
21 years female- imported for
illicit intercourse
Kidnapping

64. Kidnapping Abduction
Even with will
by illegal means
By decietfulness

65. • 12 years
• Age of consent ( S 89 IPC)
• Age of consent for general physical examination
• No consent is valid if age <12 years( S 90 IPC)
• < 12 years- gives his evidence in the court of Law
without oath

66. •14 years <14 years not allowed to work in any factory
cannot be employed for any work
•16 years : child- < 16 years (old juvenile act)
Now > 18 years ( JJA,2000 + POCSO)
16-18 years  rape / murder tried as adults
No death penalty/life term imprisonment

67. •18 years:
• Age of majority
• Right to vote
• Marriage for girls
• Consent for undergoing surgery
• Consent for sexual Intercourse
• Consent for acts intended to cause grievous hurt (boxing, fencing)
• Age for donating organs

68. • 21 years
• Age for marriage in adult males
• 60 years
• Senior Citizen- males
• (females- 56/58 years)

69. Discussion
• A child of age 6 years gave a rat poison ( offering it as a sweet) to his
grandmother and the grandmother dies… will he be responsible????

70. • A male of 21 years marries a female of 15 years … is it offence????

71. • A child of 12 years is diagnosed with umbilical hernia.
•Should we take a consent????
•From whom????

72. AGE in The LIVING
• General development
• Teeth Eruption
• Radiological
Any disparity Radiological
Age in The Dead
• External features
• Teeth- Gustafson’s
• Ossification- reddish brown
centre surrounded by bluish
white cartilage
• Fusion- sutures+ sternum
• Others-Rib phase analysis
• Pubic symphysis

73. Important questions
• Temporary and permanent teeth
• Successional and superadded teeth
• Gustafson’s technique
• Age estimation in the living/dead
• MLI of age
• Practical  X-rays

74. THANK YOU