Background: Despite the existence of the most reliable and authentic tools of personal identification such as fingerprints, dental, and DNA analysis, the palatal rugae are recommended as an adjuvant aid in forensic diagnosis. Palatal rugoscopy or palatoscopy aims to specify a person’s identity and gender discrimination. Aim: To determine the morphological pattern of palatal rugae considering gender. Settings and design: Cross-sectional study, calcorrugoscopy, chi-square test Material: This incorporated 360 subjects encompassing an equal ratio of the male and female genders. Undertaking the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study, calcorrugoscopy technique was utilized in which maxillary casts were obtained through irreversible hydrocolloid impression material (Cavex cream alginate – fast set) and poured in type III dental stone. The assessed morphological parameters were shape and unification. Trobo’s classification and Thomas and Kotze’s criteria were used to assess shape and unification respectively to assess the qualitative aspect of palatal rugae. Descriptive analysis was generated in terms of frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations.

Results: The most frequently occurred rugae pattern was sinuous followed by a line with divergent unification. Sexual dimorphism was not evident among the selected subjects regarding rugae shape and unification configuration.Moreover, the same trend regarding shape and unification was repeated on both sides of the palate, with no significant difference noted in number of palatal rugae undertaking both sides.

Conclusions: Every individual possesses a unique rugae pattern irrespective of gender.

Keywords: Cross- sectional, Adults, Gender dimorphism, Pakistan, Palatal rugae