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Tooth Dimension as a Distinguishing Trait of Sexual Dimorphism: An Odontometric Study on Kannur Population
M Kodanda Ram1, Kt Sangeetha Nambiar2, Ajeesha Feroz3
1Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology. Kannur Dental College, Anjarakandy, Kannur Kerala, India, Orcid: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5182-6656.
Objective:
Forensic odontology deals with the application of the uniqueness of human dentition in forensic scenarios. Estimating sex is the first step in forensics as the estimation of other elements follows patterns related to sex. Our objective is to examine the relationship between odontometric measurements of permanent dentition and sexual dimorphism in the Kannur population.
Materials And Methods:
A sample size of 56 paired dental casts was used to conduct the study. We included subjects aged 18-25 years. From the dental cast, measurements of mesiodistal (ML) and buccolingual (BL) distances from each tooth were taken using a digital vernier caliper. Results were tabulated and statistically analyzed.
Results:
Concerning the BL dimension, statistically significant differences were noted between the sexes. Mesiodistal dimension analysis showed no statistically significant difference. But all teeth measured were larger in males than in females.
Conclusion:
In our study done in the Kannur population, the BL dimension was seen to be statistically more significant than the MD dimension among males and females. Teeth can be a savior in mass disasters to easily recognize the recovered bodies. Further study has to be planned with a more diverse sample which can represent the Malabar population and a regression formula can be derived which can be used by forensics experts. How to cite this article: Ram MK, Nambiar KTS, Feroz A, et al. Tooth Dimension as a Distinguishing Trait of Sexual Dimorphism: An Odontometric Study on Kannur Population. J Contemp Dent Pract 2025;26(4):426-431.
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