Morphometric analysis of mental and mandibular foramen in gender determination among sriganganagar population: A cross-sectional digital panoramic study

Abstract

Background: The morphometric dimensions, of the mental foramen and mandibular foramen, are a useful tool to plan surgical approach in clinical dentistry and forensic dentistry as it serves in the identification of humans and can also be applied in medico-legal issues. Objective: To determine the difference in the vertical position of mental foramen and mandibular foramen in different gender on digital panoramic radiographs using linear measurements. Materials and Methods: A total of 220 subjects were considered for the study. Radiographs were taken with Kodak 8000C Digital Panoramic and Cephalometric machine on Kodak radiographic film in a standardized manner. Linear measurement was done using Kodak 6.12.24 dental software. Results: The mean value of D1, D2, D3, and D4 in males on the left side of the mandible showed 9.72 mm, 17.12 mm, 12.43 mm, and 46.32 mm, whereas females showed 8.47 mm, 15.23 mm, 11.48 mm, and 46.32 mm. Similarly, when the variables D1, D2, D3, and D4 were measured on the right side of the male population, it showed us 10.42 mm, 16.56 mm, 12.11 mm, and 45.87 mm width. Dimensions of all the variables of the females were 8.89 mm, 14.82 mm, 11.71 mm, and 42.88 mm. Conclusion: Mandible is an efficacious tool in sex determination and would be useful to authenticate forensic databases.