Role of Pulp Volume Method in Assessment of Age and Gender: An Observational Study from Lucknow, India

Introduction: In forensics, age and gender determination are required for victim identification. Secondary dentine deposition occurs throughout life, resulting in decreased pulp volume and size. Evaluation of pulp volume using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is a non invasive method used to evaluate age and gender. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of the pulp volume method in determining age and gender. Materials and Methods: An observational study was conducted in the Oral Medicine and Radiology Department of King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India from July 2019 to August 2020. Pulp volume measurements were obtained from CBCT data of randomly selected individuals (n=90) aged 18-70 years, focusing on maxillary Central Incisors (CI) and maxillary Canine (C). Statistical analyses, including Chi-square test, Pearson's correlation, linear regression, and logistic regression, were performed on the data. Results: The CBCT data from 90 individuals, aged 18-70 years, were evaluated for pulp volume of maxillary CI and C. The Pearson correlation coefficient indicated a decrease in pulp volume with age. The validation of the equations for sex determination revealed higher prediction accuracy for CI (56.70%) compared to C (53.30%). Conclusion: Pulp volume obtained from CBCT can serve as a reliable indicator for age estimation and gender prediction.