1Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, Darshan Dental College & Hospital, Udaipur, India
2Orthodontics, Manipal college of dental sciences, Mangalore, India
3Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, People's Dental Academy, Bhopal, India
4Oral Medicine & Radiology, People's Dental Academy, Bhopal, India
5Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, Pacific Dental College & Hospital, Udaipur, India
Online published on 17 December, 2012.
The dentition is considered as a useful adjunct in skeletal sex determination, particularly since teeth are resistant to postmortem destruction and fragmentation. Sex dimorphism in tooth size and the accuracy of odontometric sex prediction, is found to vary in different regions. Therefore this study was aimed at assessing the sexual dimorphism in human permanent mandibular canines and its inter-comparison in different ethnic groups, which will ultimately help in sex determination of human remains using teeth in cases of forensic importance.
Mandibular casts of dentition of 25 males and 25 females each from Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka population were studied. Right and left buccolingual and mesiodistal canine width and intercanine distance were measured, canine index calculated and the data was statistically analysed.
The mean values of right and left canine index were significantly higher in males compared to females in all the three population groups. Also sex could be predicted correctly by using standard mandibular canine index in 78%, 76% and 82% of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka populations respectively.
The mandibular canine index is a quick and easy method for determining sex and can prove to be a useful tool in forensic odontology.
Canine index, Ethnic groups, Forensics, Inercanine distance, Sexual dimorphism
