Forensic significance of dental cementum

Aim: To determine new energy parameters in micro-CT to allow appropriate segmentation of dental cementum from the surrounding structures. Methods: For this pilot study, 11 single-rooted premolar teeth of young subjects aged 12 to 21 were selected. The teeth were scanned using high-energy microtomography (SkyScan 1173, Bruker) with varying acquisition energies (60, 70, and 80 kV). Each tooth was scanned three times. The images were reconstructed and analyzed by calculating the volume (mm³) of dental cementum in the cervical, middle, and apical root thirds among the different scanned stacks. The mean cementum volume in the root thirds was obtained, and correlated with the patient’s age, using Pearson’s correlation. Results: The mean age of the patients in the sample was 16,73 years. For the 60kV energy, the cementum volumes were 1.01 mm³, 1.00 mm³, and 0.58 mm³, for the cervical, middle, and apical thirds, respectively. For 70kV, it was 1.08 mm3, 1.20 mm3, and 0.71 mm3 for the respective thirds. And for 80kV, 0.55 mm3, 0.91 mm3, and 0.67 mm3 for the respective thirds. Conclusion: An acquisition energy of 70kV resulted in the best segmentation and reproducibility of the results. Micro-CT can be a useful tool to non-destructively evaluate the dental cementum.