Age estimation in adults and sub adults Flashcards
1
Q
Sub-Adults (Juveniles)
A
- Juvenile bones = less likely to survive in burial environments, as mineral in bone is less robust due to still growing.
- Lower bone mineral content = bone more susceptible to decay
- Bones are smaller and easier for bugs to take apart
- Graves = smaller/ shallower = reduced detection compared to adult graves
- In certain societies - not viewed as proper individual so no official burial (demarcated area)
- Inexperienced excavators - don’t recognise small bones
= incomplete recovery - Look and feel different to adult bones
2
Q
Ageing and Stature in Sub-Adults
A
- Linear increase in bone dimensions
- Ossification of epiphyses
- Growth, eruption and loss of deciduous teeth
- Growth and eruption of permanent teeth
3
Q
Linear increase in bone dimensions
A
- The length of bones
- As children age they get taller
- At around 18, full height potential should be reached
- Works up until late teens, early 20’s
- Tibia fully fused at 18 years (girls can be sooner)
4
Q
Ossification of epiphyses
A
- The fusing of bones
- Long bone shaft
- Slimy (Snotty) package reduces and calcifies
- The bones grow and fuse
- Age of attainment can be large
- Girls bones fuse faster than boys
- Bones fuse at certain times
- Collar bone = 18-30 yrs
- Humorous head = 16-25 yrs
- Head of femur = 15-20 years - Aggressive sports are bad for teenagers as bones aren’t fully fused
- Bone fuse level help to estimate age
5
Q
Growth, eruption and loss of deciduous teeth
A
- Tooth loss
- Dental eruption times vary between children
- Mixed dentition = best age identifier
- Girls teeth grow before boys in general
- X-rays aren’t ideal for measuring teeth
- At 6 months teeth are in crypt but start growing
- 9 months - incisors start forming
- 4 years first adult molar can be seen
- 7-10 years = mixed dentition
- 2nd molar comes up
- 18-21 years = 3rd molar forms
Dental growth = uniform in development
can be used to estimate age
6
Q
Growth and eruption of permanent teeth
A
- Have permanent teeth formed
7
Q
Neonatal line
A
- Forms during birth
- Count lines from the neonatal line = determine age in days
- Only works up until crown forms
8
Q
Determining age
A
- Neonatal lines
- Enamel Growth
- Dental Growth
- Adult first molar root
- Radiographic methods to examine teeth
9
Q
Adult Age at Death
A
- When growth finishes degeneration begins
- Degrading begins around 25 years
- All adults age at slightly different rates
- Bones degrade at different rates
10
Q
Determining age:
PUBIC SMYPHSIS
A
- MOST ACCURATE AS EASIEST TO MEASURE
- 2 pubic bones come together and then there isn’t much movement
- Pubic joint - non weight bearing joint
- Degrades with age
- Accurate in age determination
PHASES:
1. Rigid surface
2. Ossified nodules
3. Ventral rampart
4. Smoother symphysial rim
5. Marked symphysial rim
6. Erratic ossification (looks torn up)
11
Q
Dental eruption in Adults
A
1st Incisor and 1st Molar 2nd Incisor and Canine 1st Premolar and 2nd Premolar 2nd Molar 3rd Molar
12
Q
Dental Wear
A
- 6 years = 1st molar erupts
- 12 years = 2nd molar erupts
- 18 years = 3rd molar erupts
- Amount of enamel % dentine showing through = not very accurate
- tooth wear - how long teeth have been in the jaw
- Works for older population
13
Q
Estimating age at Death
A
- Adult age determination = hard
- Have to look at bone breakdown
- less precise for adults as are related to morphological changes in adults don’t progress as much in adults as in subadults.
- Lifestyle choices can effect bone degeneration
- Large overlap between age ranges for adults- less accurate
- Young adults = smaller age range
- Older adults = larger age range
- multifactorial ageing is recommended (more methods used together)
- Each estimation from methods should be combined to give an estimated age range
