Cranial suture closure as an age indicator: A review.

Abstract

Cranial suture closure has been recognized for over a century as a useful trait for age estimation. Although this indicator has become a standard feature of age assessment protocols in skeletal remains, serious questions have been raised about its reliability. This article attempts to provide a comprehensive review of cranial suture closure as an age indicator from several perspectives, including its anatomy and history, as well as issues relating to validation, statistics, and the potential of technological advancements to improve outcomes. We further suggest a path forward for the use of cranial suture closure as an estimator of age. Although its unreliability has been widely reported, cranial suture closure still appears to have value as an aging method, and it is hoped that the information contained in this article can serve as a stepping stone toward more effective use of this indicator. The cranium is often more durable than other skeletal elements in both archaeological and forensic circumstances, so maximizing the effectiveness of cranial indicators is an important goal. It is hoped that recent advancements in technology and in analytical approaches to the cranial sutures could breathe some new life into this feature as an indicator of age.

• Authors: Sittiporn Ruengdit, D Troy Case, Pasuk Mahakkanukrauh
• Journal: Forensic science international (Forensic Sci Int) Vol. 307 Pg. 110111 (Feb 2020) ISSN: 1872-6283 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 31901460 (Publication Type: Historical Article, Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Age Determination by Skeleton (methods)
• Cranial Sutures (diagnostic imaging, growth & development)
• Forensic Anthropology (methods)
• History, 20th Century
• History, 21st Century
• Humans
• Osteogenesis
• Statistics as Topic
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed