Abstract Objectives Age estimation is one of the most important factors in forensic medicine. Measuring secondary dentin deposition using cone-beam computed tomography images is an easy and noninvasive method. The aim of this study was to evaluate cone-beam computed tomography images as a reliable method to estimate chronological age by pulp/teeth ratio in anterior teeth in Iranian population. Methodology A total of 649 CBCT images from 377 Iranian patients aged between 20 and 69 years were evaluated. Pulp/teeth ratio (PTR) in maxillary and mandibular canine and central incisor teeth was measured in the axial and sagittal sections using OnDemand 3D Dental software. The Pearson correlation coefficient was determined to evaluate the correlation between the variables. Linear regression analysis, as well as age estimation formula, was used for each tooth separately. Results The regression analyses indicated that maxillary central incisors were more reliable for age estimation (R2=0.586 and standard error of estimate=7.045) compared with the other anterior teeth studied. Maxillary canine teeth had the lowest predictive power (R2=0.392 and standard error of estimate=8.387). Also, comparison of the axial and sagittal sections showed that the axial sections had a higher predictive power. (R2=0.48 for axial plans and R2=0.328 for sagittal plans) Conclusion The use of cone-beam computed tomography in age estimation by pulp/teeth ratio of anterior teeth is useful and a reliable method for age estimation in Iranian population.

Abstract Background Diagnosis and treatment of iron deficiency anemia in older subjects improves their quality of life. Serum ferritin as a marker of iron stores is an acute phase protein. In older subjects who usually have many concomitant chronic medical conditions, serum ferritin may increase in response to inflammatory processes irrespective of iron stores. This study was performed to determine the diagnostic properties of serum ferritin in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia in older subjects. Methods This case-control study included all the inhabitants of Amirkola town who participated in the Amirkola Health and Aging Project. Diagnosis of anemia was confirmed based on a hemoglobin level <13 g/dL in men and <12 g/dL in women and iron deficiency anemia by percent transferrin saturation <15%. A receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed to determine an optimal serum ferritin cutoff value to differentiate patients with and without iron deficiency anemia at the highest sensitivity and specificity. Results Eighty patients with iron deficiency anemia and 160 cases of anemia without iron deficiency (mean age: 72.9 ± 8 and 71.6 ± 7.6 years, respectively; p-value = 0.37) were analyzed. In iron deficiency anemia, the mean serum ferritin was significantly lower (p-value = 0.036) compared to patients without iron deficiency anemia. Serum ferritin with a cutoff level of 100 ng/mL differentiated patients with and without iron deficiency anemia with a sensitivity of 60% and specificity of 59% and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.615 ± 0.040 (95% confidence interval: 0.536-0.694; p-value = 0.004). Conclusion These findings indicate that in elderly subjects, iron deficiency anemia may develop with higher levels of serum ferritin. Hence, the conventional cutoff of serum ferritin for the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia in young adults is not appropriate for the elderly population.

OBJECTIVE: Treatment of furcation defects are thought to be challenging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic parameters of Bio-Gen with Biocollagen compared with Bio-Gen with connective tissue in the treatment of Class II furcation defects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this clinical trial, 24 patients with Class II furcation defect on a buccal or lingual mandibular molar were recruited. After oral hygiene instruction, scaling and root planing and achievement of acceptable plaque control, the patients were randomly chosen to receive either connective tissue and Bio-Gen (case group) or Biocollagen and Bio-Gen (control group). The following parameters were recorded before the first and re-entry surgery (six months later): vertical clinical attachment level (VCAL), gingival index (GI), plaque index (PI), horizontal probing depth (HPD), vertical probing depth (VPD), gingival recession (GR), furcation vertical component (FVC), furcation to alveolar crest (FAC), fornix to base of defect (FBD), and furcation horizontal component (FHC) were calculated at the time of first surgery and during re-entry. A digital periapical radiograph was taken in parallel before first surgery and re-entry. The radiographs were then analyzed by digital subtraction. The differences with p value <0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: Only the mean changes of FAC, FHC, mean of FHC, FBD in re-entry revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups. HPD, VPD, FBD, FAC, and FHC showed statistically significant differences after 6 months in the case group. However, in the control group, statistically significant differences were found in GR and HPD. We did not observe any significant difference in radiographic changes among the two groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this trial indicate that better clinical outcomes can be obtained with connective tissue grafts in combination with bone material compared with a resorbable barrier with bone material. The differences in radiographic changes between the two groups, however, were not statistically significant.