title: Sex determination potential of permanent maxillary molar widths and cusp diameters in a North Indian population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the sex discrimination potential of permanent maxillary molar crown widths and cusp diameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurements were made on plaster casts of 200 individuals of known sex (100 males, 100 females, aged 12-21 years). Eight parameters were measured on the first and second maxillary molars with a digital caliper [buccolingual, mesiodistal, mesiobuccal-distolingual and distobuccal-mesiolingual crown widths and cusp diameters (hypocone, protocone, paracone, and metacone)]. The percentage of sexual dimorphism for each parameter was calculated. Discriminant function analysis was used to determine the accuracy of sex determination for each molar separately and both the molars taken together.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest sexual dimorphism was shown by protocone in the first molar and hypocone in the second molar. Furthermore, the sex determination accuracy was highest when the first molar was taken alone than when the second molar or the first and second molars were taken together.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on this study, odontometric measurements of maxillary molars provide low to moderate sex determination accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, I.T.S. Dental College, Muradnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Payal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, I.T.S. Dental College, Muradnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Tushita
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, I.T.S. Dental College, Muradnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Piush
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, I.T.S. Dental College, Muradnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Pavan Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, I.T.S. Dental College, Muradnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharma
keywords: Crown widths; cusp diameters; odontometric; sexual dimorphism