In determining juvenile ages at the time of death the ribs that meet the sternum at the midline, can determine an approximate age range. Sternal ribs show macroscopic changes, joint surface deterioration, and bony erosion. Changes expected to be seen will build up ridges becoming longer and more jagged. In some cases, cartilage build-up into a bony structure can be long. This stabilizes the rib but also creates more brittle structures. 


Sternal Rib Ends

Dental development can determine a juvenile's age as children's teeth erupt at almost exactly the same rate. Furthermore, the pattern of development can be studied to determine the age. Dentition over time can wear away and can be used to determine age but diet also plays a hand in tooth wear. In newborns, no teeth have erupted but two sets of teeth are located in the jaw these are primary and permanent teeth. In children aged one to three, about twenty deciduous erupted. By the age of ten, all permeant teeth have erupted. In comparison, young adults have thirty-two permeant teeth, wisdom teeth, and molars between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one. Older adults experience tooth erosion and loss to determine their age. Teeth tend to erupt with a specific pattern but can have some variation. 


Dentition 

Around the age of thirty, the last epiphany fuses in the body, resulting in decay. The joints will begin to degrade and these changes can be studied to determine the age. Mobile joints are the least good to determine as they decay faster than other joints. 	The changes expected to be seen in pubic symphysis are by observing the pubic symphyseal face. Ridges will develop in younger years but as humans, age builds up along the sides indicating an older age. 


Pubic Symphysis

Epiphyseal fusion observes the growth, development, and fusion at the ends of the bone. In juveniles, the long shaft and epiphysis ends are separate to allow growth of structure and fuse together. The rate of fusion can be used to determine the age of development for a child.  Epiphyseal suture closes at the end of the long bones. Different skeletal elements fuse at different ages and ends around the age of twenty-four with the clavicle bone.

Epiphyseal Fusion

- Sternal rib ends
- Dentition
- Pubic Symphysis
- Epiphyseal fusion

Arizona State University

Specializes in search and recovery by using archaeological methods to investigate crime scenes, determine potential gravesites, and identify evidence or reconstruct crime scenes. 

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