Pattern self-repetition of fingerprints, lip prints, and palatal rugae among three generations of family: A forensic approach to identify family hierarchy

CONTEXT: The unique pattern and structural diversity of fingerprints, lip prints, palatal rugae, and their occurrence in different patterns among individuals make it questionable whether they are completely unique even in a family hierarchy? Do they have any repetition of the patterns among the generations? Or is this a mere chaos theory? AIMS: The present study aims to assess the pattern self-repetition of fingerprints, lip prints, and palatal rugae among three generations of ten different families. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The present study was conducted at Rungta College of Dental Science and Research, Bhilai, India. Participants birth by origin of Chhattisgarh were only included in the study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty participants from three consecutive generations of ten different families were briefed about the purpose of the study, and their fingerprints, lip prints, and palatal rugae impression were recorded and analyzed for the pattern of self-repetition. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Multiple comparisons among the generations and one-way analysis of variance test were performed using SPSS 20 trial version. RESULTS: Among the pattern of primary palatal rugae, 10% showed repetition in all the three generations. Thirty percent showed repetition of the pattern of thumb fingerprints in all the three generation. The pattern of lip prints in the middle 1/3(rd) of lower lip, 20% showed repetition in alternative generations. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluations of fingerprints, lip prints, and palatal rugae showed fractal dimensions, occurring variations in dimensions according to the complexity of each structure. Even though a minute self-repetition in the patterns of lip, thumb, and palate among the three consequent generations in a family was observed considering the sample size, these results need to be confirmed in a larger sample, either to establish the role of chaos theory in forensic science or identifying a particular pattern of the individual in his family hierarchy.