1Reader, Department of Anatomy, National Dental College, Gulabgarh, Mohali, Punjab
2Professor, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology & Principal, Guru Nanak Mission Medical College, Hospital, SBS Nagar, Punjab
Teeth are the most durable part of the skeleton. They are more resistant to adverse conditions occurring in nature like purification, mutilation, fire and prolonged immersion in water. Measurements of the mandibular teeth can be helpful in determining gender. Seventy volunteers [35 males and 35 females] in the age group of 17- 21 years were selected for the present study. The dentition of the subjects fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The dental casts of the subjects were prepared after their written consent. The premolar arch width, molar arch width and combined incisor width of the mandibular teeth were measured on the dental casts. It was found that all the parameters exceeded in the males and the difference in males and females was statistically significant. Using these widths, the premolar and molar indices were calculated which were also found to be more in the males. The sexual dimorphism existing in the measurements and indices of mandibular teeth can be of help in the field of Forensic dentistry for identification and gender determination.
Molar arch width, premolar arch width, combined incisor width, indices, sexual dimorphism
