AN ORTHOPANTOMOGRAPHIC STUDY FOR SEX DETERMINATIONBY MANDIBULAR RAMUS IN WESTERN RAJASTHAN POPULATION

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Bones are an important tool for determining the age, sex, and stature of an
individual both in a forensic study and in a medico legal case. The mandible is considered a
second most sexually dimorphic bone after pelvis. The orthopantomograph is widely used for
obtaining a comprehensive overview of the maxillofacial complex.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The present study was conducted on 50 males & 50 females
orthopantomographs in the Department of Anatomy, Department of Radiology and in
Department of Oral & Maxillo facial surgery, Dr. S. N. Medical College, Jodhpur (Rajasthan)
with the aim to measure, compare, and evaluate the various measurements of mandibular ramus
as observed on Digital Orthopantomographs. In the present study, direct discriminant analysis
was employed, testing five variables i.e. Maximum ramus breadth, Minimum ramus breadth, Condylar height/maximum ramus height, Projective height of ramus and Coronoid height
measured on mandibular ramus of the Western Rajasthan population.
RESULT: The 5 variables showed statistically significant sex differences between sexes,
indicating that ramus expresses strong sexual dimorphism in Western Rajasthan population. The
best parameters are coronoid height and condylar height for males and projective height for
females.
DISCUSSION: It is well noted that discriminant function derived from one specific population
cannot be applied to another as magnitude of sex-related differences vary significantly among
regional populations. So, there is always a need to develop population-specific standards.
CONCLUSION: We found that mandibular ramus measurements using orthopantomographs
were reliable for sex determination.

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