Gender identification and morphologic classification of tooth, arch and palatal forms in Saudi population

AIMS: To determine various tooth form, arch form, and palatal form with gender identification between males and females of the Saudi population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Irreversible hydrocolloid impressions were made of the maxillary teeth of 100 dentate male and female subjects to obtain study casts. A standardized procedure was adopted to photograph the maxillary dental arches and the maxillary central incisors on the study casts taken from each subject. The outline form of tooth, arch, and palatal form were determined using a standardized method. The average of six prosthodontist's evaluation was considered who classified the outline tracings visually. The statistical analysis was performed using Chi-Square and results tabulated. RESULTS: The predominant tooth is combination form in males and ovoid form in females, the predominant arch is ovoid form in males and square form in females and the predominant palatal form are both U and V shaped in males and U-shaped in females. CONCLUSION: Except for the tooth form there was a significant difference with arch and palatal form among males and females of the population group studied. The determined tooth, arch and palatal forms are useful in selection and arrangement of artificial teeth among Saudi edentulous population group. Generalizing from the study is questionable as the sample size is small. Further studies should be conducted in a larger sample to confirm the study results