Occlusal radiograph a hidden tool for sex determination: A radiographic study

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the reliability of dental arch linear and angular measurements on occlusal radiographs and to assess the usefulness of occlusal radiographs in sex determination. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 50 patients (25 males and 25 females) using occlusal radiographs with age ranging from 20 to 25 years. Standard occlusal radiographs were taken without any errors by intraoral dental X-ray machine with required ideal exposure parameters after taking due radiation protection and safety measures. The radiographs were carefully processed and the images obtained were traced for angular and linear measurements, attributing capital letters to the maxillary arch and small letters to the mandibular arch. The obtained data were analyzed by ANOVA using SPSS Software Version 22.0 for statistical analysis using discriminate methods. Results: In the present study, all the linear measurements of occlusal radiographs showed a statistically significant differentiation and angular measurements namely “CIA” L, “MIC” L, “CIA” R, and “MIC” rare found highly significant in the differentiation of sex. Conclusion: We conclude that the occlusal radiographic measurements (odontometry) can be used for sex determination and is recommended as an aid for sex determination in forensic science.