Resumo

LIMA, Silas Henrique Rabelo de et al. The forensic importance of cervical vertebrae in human identification cases. RFO UPF [online]. 2012, vol.17, n.1, pp. 46-49. ISSN 1413-4012.

The knowledge of skeletal maturation stages has great relevance when it comes to age estimate in both ante-mortem and post-mortem forensic report. Objective: To verify the viability of bone age determination by the cervical vertebrae, focusing on its use by forensic dentistry expert´s activity. Methodology: 50 lateral cephalometric radiographs were analyzed from individuals of both sexes. The vertebrae were analyzed according to a modified Hassel & Farma´s method, which analyzed the bottom edges of C2, C3 and C4, and the vertebral bodies of C3 and C4 by assigning one of six maturation stages (1-be-ginning, 2-acceleration, 3-transition, 4-deceleration, 5-maturation and 6-ending). The results were presented in tables for each vertebra, where, from the average, a single stage of maturation was obtained. Data were tested using Pearson Correlation and Linear regression test to obtain a line. Results: There is a strong correlation between the main age and bone age obtained from cervical vertebrae, resulting in r=0.8534. Conclusion: Changes observed in the used human cervical vertebrae radiographs showed to be useful to assist in age estimation, contributing to the forensic dentistry expert´s activity before identification cases.

Palavras-chave : Cervical vertebrae; Dentistry forensic; Development indicators.