A comparative evaluation between cheiloscopic patterns and canine relationship in permanent dentition.

Background: The precise determination of occlusal relationships, particularly the alignment of maxillary and mandibular canines, is fundamental to orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. Cheiloscopy, the study of lip print patterns, has gained prominence in forensic odontology and is hypothesized to have potential relevance in orthodontics. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between cheiloscopic patterns and canine relationships in permanent dentition to assess its diagnostic significance.

Material and methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 300 adolescents (aged 14-16 years) from Chennai. Canine relationships were classified as Class I, Class II, or Class III based on standard intraoral examination protocols. Lip prints were collected using the lipstick-cellophane transfer technique and analyzed based on the Suzuki and Tsuchihashi classification system. Statistical analysis, including the Chi-Square test and Fisher's Exact Test, was performed using SPSS software (version 22.0), with a significance threshold of p < 0.05.

Results: Type II (branched) lip prints were the most prevalent across all canine relationships (71.3%), followed by Type IV (reticular) (17.7%). A significant gender-based difference was observed in Class III canine relationships (p = 0.003), where males predominantly exhibited Type II patterns (86.7%), while females showed a higher frequency of Type IV patterns (36.4%). No significant gender differences were noted in Class I and Class II relationships.

Conclusions: Cheiloscopic patterns demonstrate notable variations across different canine relationships, with significant gender-based differences in Class III relationships. These findings suggest that cheiloscopy may serve as a non-invasive adjunct in orthodontic diagnosis and forensic odontology. Key words:Cheiloscopy, canine relationships, orthodontic diagnosis, lip print patterns, forensic odontology.