The Open Forensic Science Journal

2011, 4 : 15-19
Published online 2011 May 12. DOI: 10.2174/1874402801104010015
Publisher ID: TOFORSJ-4-15

Application of the Maxillary Suture Obliteration Method For Estimating Age at Death in Greek Population

C. Apostolidou , I. Eleminiadis , T. Koletsa , K. Natsis , S. Dalampiras , D. Psaroulis , S. Apostolidis , A. Psifidis , P. Tsikaras and S.N. Njau
Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.

ABSTRACT

A recently developed method for estimating adult skeletal age is based on maxillary suture obliteration. The purpose of this study is to test the accuracy of the revised maxillary suture method in estimating age at death on a skeletal sample from Greece. The sample consists of 271 skeletons (150 males, 121 females) of known age and sex and comes from several cemeteries of the country and from Human Skeletal Athens Collection. By using the method of Mann et al. we correctly estimated age for 89% of males and 84% of females. This finding suggests that the method is applicable to estimate the age-at-death in Greek population.