Evaluation of the Utility of Cheiloscopy, Rugoscopy, Dactyloscopy and Odonto-Morphometry for Human Identification and Gender Determination in an Eastern Indian Population: An Observational Study

To determine the uniqueness of the lip prints, rugae pattern, thumb prints and odontomorphometry among the study population and to evaluate the possibility of gender determination.

Lip prints, palatal rugae, finger prints and odonto-morphometric measurements were obtained from 200 individuals. The central part of the lip was analysed based on the classification given by Suzuki and Tsuchihashi. The different patterns and lengths of palatal rugae were recorded as per Thomas and Kotze. Thumb print analysis was done by Michael and Kucken classification which classifies it into arch, whorl and loop type.

There was no statistical significance between lip prints, thumb prints, rugae patterns, rugae lengths, mesiodistal and buccolingual dimensions. Only while comparing the secondary rugae with the thumb prints was found to be significant. The percentage of sexual dimorphism was found to be highest for mesio-distal and bucco-lingual dimensions of maxillary right canine followed by mesiodistal dimension of mandibular right central incisor.

Correlation of the four parameters was not significant but each individually played a vital role in identification.