Morphometric Analysis of Mandibular Ramus Indices for Sex Prediction Using Digital Orthopantomograms (OPGs) and the...

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Human Identification
• Digital Radiography

Background:

• Sex determination is vital in forensic medicine and anthropology.
• The mandible's durability and morphological differences between sexes make it valuable for estimation.
• Digital radiography and software like GIMP enable precise morphometric analysis for improved forensic accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To predict sex using mandibular morphometric indices from digital orthopantomograms (OPGs).
• To utilize the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) for measurements in a central Indian population.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 500 OPGs (250 males, 250 females, aged 20-40).
• Measurement of four bilateral mandibular parameters (condylar ramus height, projective ramus height, maximum ramus breadth, minimum ramus breadth) using GIMP.
• Double-blind measurement conditions to ensure objectivity.

Main Results:

• All four measured mandibular parameters exhibited statistically significant sexual dimorphism (p < 0.001).
• Males consistently showed larger linear dimensions than females for all parameters.
• Condylar ramus height and maximum ramus breadth were the strongest predictors of sex, confirmed by discriminant function analysis.

Conclusions:

• Mandibular morphometric indices from OPGs, analyzed with GIMP, are reliable sex indicators due to significant sexual dimorphism in ramus dimensions.
• This method is cost-effective, reproducible, and valuable for forensic identification, particularly when DNA or conventional methods are inaccessible.