The applicability of the Carrea’s method for human height estimation through lower and upper teeth in dental models

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the applicability of the Carrea method, in its original and modified forms, in estimating human stature. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out in 31 pairs of gypsum models of undergraduate Dental students. Each lower model was analyzed using the original Carrea Method (1939), and the modified method (LIMA, 2011) was used for the analysis of upper teeth model. Data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics (?=5%). Results: By using the original method, the estimated height included the actual height in 51.6% (n = 16), with concordance of 38.7% (n = 12) for quadrant 3 and 32.3% (n = 10) for quadrant 4. Similar overall agreement was observed for the modified method (51.6%; n = 16), with 35.5% (n = 11) and 32.3% (n = 10) concordancies for quadrants 1 and 2, respectively. There was no significant difference between sexes. The height was underestimated by the original method in 58.1% (n = 18), regardless of the analyzed quadrant, being overestimated in 3.2% (n = 1) in quadrant 3, and 9.7% (n = 3) in quadrant 4. The modified method underestimated the height in 45.2% (n = 14) for quadrant 1, and in 38.7% (n = 12) for the quadrant 2. The overestimation occurred in 19.4% (n = 6) in quadrant 1 and 29.0% (n = 9) in quadrant 2. Low correlation coefficients were obtained between the real values and the estimated ones. Conclusions: Both orginal and modified Carrea methods presented questionable applicability, and should be used carrefully.