Role of Facial Index and Odontometric Parameters in the Establishment of Stature and Gender of Individuals

BACKGROUND: Dental anthropology is an important aspect of bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. In forensic anthropological studies, identifying an unknown individual from a mangled and decomposing body is a challenging task. Cranial remains are the only critical clues available for personal identification. Age, sex, and stature are significant parameters in establishing the identity of an unrecognized individual. Stature is the natural height of the individual in an upright position. Stature can be estimated from various parts of the body such as long bones, short bones, and skull. Few studies conducted in specific population have established a correlation for predicting stature from cephalometric and odontometric parameters. Thus, the present study was conducted to determine stature and gender based on cephalometric and odontometric parameters in the population of Tamil Nadu. AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of predicting the stature and gender of an individual based on odontometric measurements, facial height, and bizygomatic width. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of seventy individuals in the age group of 18–24 years were selected for the study. The facial height, bizygomatic width and length ,mesiodistal and labiolingual diameter of clinical crown of maxillary central,lateral and canine teeth of both the right and left quadrants were measured. The values were analyzed statistically. Through this analysis, regression equations for estimation of stature from odontometric and facial index were derived. RESULTS: Pearson correlation test was carried out to establish a correlation between the stature and the measured parameters. Regression analysis was carried out to establish stature from the odontometric and facial index of the individual. The regression equations were used to get estimated stature in the same sample of volunteers from which regression equations were obtained. Tabulated results showed a probable correlation between various parameters. CONCLUSION: In our study, a positive correlation between cephalometric measurements, gender, crown length of permanent left central incisor, and combined mesiodistal diameter of permanent maxillary anteriors with stature was found. This can be used as a supplementary method for estimating the stature of unknown human bodies.