A Comparative Analysis of Mandibular Ramus and Maxillary Sinus in Sex Determination among the Population of West Godavari, India: A Tool in Forensic Identification
Published: July 1, 2023 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2023/62858.18164
Alapati Naga Supriya, Saridena Udayasri Naga Gayatri, Ravikanth Manyam, P Swetha, MHL Supraja, Jyothi Pravallika Meka
1. Associate Professor, Department of Oral Pathology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India.
2. Undergraduate Student, Department of Oral Pathology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India.
3. Professor and Head, Department of Oral Pathology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India.
4. Professor, Department of Oral Pathology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India.
5. Postgraduate, Department of Oral Pathology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India.
6. Postgraduate, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Correspondence
Dr. Alapati Naga Supriya,
Associate Professor, Department of Oral Pathology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram-534202, Andhra Pradesh, India.
E-mail: nagasupriya.a@vdc.edu.in
Introduction: The application of dental principles to legal issues is known as forensic dentistry. Among the skull’s various bones, mandible is the strongest and most diverse bone and is crucial in determining sex. It has been reported in many studies that maxillary sinus seems to be intact, although other bones may be severely deformed and can be applied to determine sex.
Aim: To assess, analyse and compare the morphometric analysis of maxillary sinus and ramus of mandible for gender determination using digital Orthopantamograph (OPG).
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Department of Oral Medicine, Radiology and Oral Pathology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India. The study comprising of 64 individual radiographs (32 men and 32 women) were measured for mandibular ramus (maximum ramus width, condylar and coronoid height) and maxillary sinus length, width and compared bilaterally. The results were tabulated and statistically analysed using discriminant functional analysis after the mean values were calculated.
Results: The mean age of study population was 34.67±5.78 years. In the present study, the overall measurements of mandibular ramus were more in males than females whereas maxillary sinus measurements were more in females when compared to males. Condylar length (right and left), width of ramus (right) and width of maxillary sinus (left) were found to have statistical significance in determining the gender (p-value <0.001, 0.024, 0.024). Length of the condyle showed highest accuracy of 73.8% in gender determination.
Conclusion: The present study suggests that the mandibular ramus and maxillary sinus measurements using OPG are helpful in dealing forensics, with condylar height being the most accurate indicator for gender determination.
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