Snapshots of Age and Gender: Pulp Volume Analysis of Maxillary Teeth Using OnDemand ۳D and ITK-SNAP

Introduction: In forensic investigations, age and gender determination is fundamental for the creation of the biological profile of the individual. Teeth are widely used in forensic and anthropological investigations to determine the gender and age of the human body, regardless of the cause of death and state of preservation of the body. Secondary dentin deposition by odontoblasts is a continuous process that causes progressive narrowing of the pulp chamber in all teeth. The deposition of secondary dentin can be assessed by destructive methods such as tooth sectioning for microscopic study or by conservative methods such as imaging examinations. Destructive methods are not acceptable for forensic purposes because they cause the loss of evidence. Therefore, non-invasive imaging technologies, such as CBCT, were employed for measuring pulp volume, addressing paucity in the literature comparing two software programs, OnDemand ۳D and ITK-SNAP, and assessing any software errors among them. Based on this, the aim of the study was to estimate and compare pulp volume of the maxillary central incisor and canine using OnDemand ۳D and ITK-SNAP software programs. Methods: In this retrospective study, ۱۲۵ Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) files were obtained and the pulp volume of maxillary central incisor and canine was assessed using OnDemand ۳D and ITK-SNAP. Results: There was a statistically significant correlation between age and pulp volume but it was independent of gender. Conclusion: To conclude, the results reveal statistically significant outcomes in estimating patient age based on pulp volume in CBCT scans using both OnDemand ۳D and ITK-SNAP software programs. The formulas developed in this study are applicable for forensic age estimation of victims. Although no software errors were found, OnDemand ۳D software was noted to be slightly more sensitive to technique than ITK-SNAP.