RACIAL VARIATIONS IN THE EXTENT OF TOOTH ROOT TRANSLUCENCY IN AGING INDIVIDUALS

One hundred and ninety-eight single-rooted teeth from individuals aged 21-90 yr of Caucasian, Malay, Chinese Malay and Indian Malay origin w ere studied. Single or serial longitudinal sections of extracted teeth were cut following dye imbibition of parent dentinal tubules. The ext ent of sclerosis of apical dentinal tubules was assessed and correlate d with the age of the individual. Correlation with age was higher in t he Caucasian than the Malay races and within the Malaysian racial grou ps correlation with age was highest in the Malays and lowest in the Ch inese. It is concluded that factors other than age may be important in the formation of sclerotic apical dentine in teeth of different racia l origin. The effect of racial origin should be considered when using sclerosis as a means of age determination in forensic cases.