Gender Determination among Children using Cast Analysis of Deciduous Dentition

Abstract

Background: Forensic odontology is an important aspect of legal process and the concept in pediatric cases a new one. The identification of human body by using facial and dental in children is emerging and the need of the growing world. Therefore, the study was designed to determine gender children using cast analysis of deciduous dentition.

Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Institute of Pathology & Diagnostic Medicine, Khyber Medical University Peshawar, Pakistan, for the duration from March 2023 to August 2023. A total of 268 children, equal number of boys and girls of age 3-6 years were included in the study through non-probability convenience sampling technique. Ethical approval was obtained from the institutional ethical committee and consent was obtained for the parents of children. Odontometric analysis included mesiodistal dimensions, buccolingual dimensions and clinical crown height of all primary teeth, maxillary and mandibular arch length, inter canine distance and inter molar distance of maxilla and mandible were measured using cast analysis and vernier caliper. The statistical significance difference of all variables between female and male was analyzed by independent t-test.

Results: The difference was existed in mean value of both genders in mesiodistal dimensions of maxillary central incisors (right -0.1478& left -0.1201), maxillary right canine (0.1336), mandibular left central incisor (0.1761), mandibular lateral incisor (right 0.3037 & left 0.3015) and mandibular 1^st molar (right 0.3276 & left 0.3045). Buccolingual dimensions of all teeth showed significant difference in female and male except maxillary central incisors (p-value 0.374). Clinical crown height of maxillary lateral incisor and all mandibular teeth except right 2^nd molar were found significant having p-value less than 0.05. Maxillary arch inter canine distance and mandibular arch length were greater in male as compared to female, p-value was 0.014 & 0.030 while mean difference was-0.6478 & -1.1455 respectively.

Conclusions: In the deciduous dentition, teeth dimensions were bigger in boys than girls. Hence it was found that primary teeth could be used for estimation of gender among children in different emergencies and tragedies.

Keywords: Gender determination, deciduous dentition, odontometric analysis