Gender Determination Through Mandibular Features on Orthopantomograms: A Preliminary Study

Introduction Determination of gender can be highly accurate with a complete adult skeleton, but in scenarios like mass disasters, only fragmented bones might be available. In such cases, identifying gender relies significantly on which parts of the skeleton are found. The mandible is a notably distinct bone in the skull and can be key in determining gender, especially when the entire skull is not available. The mandibular features provide clues that can help forensic experts determine the gender of an individual. Aim of the study This preliminary study aimed to determine the gender of an individual using mandibular parameters such as coronoid ramus height, condylar ramus height, projective ramus, minimum ramus breadth, and maximum ramus breadth. The objectives of this study were to (i) determine the gender of an individual using various mandibular parameters, (ii) evaluate the effectiveness of these mandibular parameters in distinguishing between male and female individuals, and (iii) establish a reliable method for gender identification based on the measured mandibular parameters. Materials and methods Since it was a preliminary study, the sample size calculation was done using G*Power software (Version 3.1.9.4; Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany). The sample size was determined to guarantee a 95% statistical power at a significance level (alpha error probability) of 0.05. To ensure sufficient statistical power, a total of 100 samples were included, with a projected sample size of 92. A total of 100 samples, evenly split between 50 males and 50 females aged 20 to 30 years, were analyzed. Orthopantomograms (OPGs) showing pathologies, fractures, developmental disturbances of the mandible, and edentulous mandibles were excluded from the study. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS for Windows, Version 16.0 (Released 2007; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Additionally, an accuracy test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple regression, and discriminant analysis for gender were performed on individual data. Results In this study, five mandibular parameters were analyzed for gender such as coronoid ramus height, condylar ramus height, projective ramus, minimum ramus breadth, and maximum ramus breadth showed a positive correlation comparatively, and a novel formula was developed.  Conclusion According to the present study, panoramic radiography can be considered a valuable tool in sex determination (with an accuracy of 90%), and all parameters of the mandible exhibited sexual dimorphism, showing they are reliable parameters with a total accuracy of 90%. However, coronoid ramus height, projective ramus, and maximum ramus breadth played a significant role in identifying gender in this particular study.