title: Palatal rugae as a tool for human identification.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to assess the accuracy of palatal rugae as a tool for human identification and to determine factors that may limit accuracy. This will serve as a potential basis for advising national health policy formulation on human identification as forensic rugoscopy is unexplored in sub-Saharan Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred consenting participants were recruited; impressions of the upper jaws were taken and cast with dental stone. All the teeth on the models were trimmed off to prevent identification by tooth morphology and the models were coded. Five uncalibrated dentists independently pair-matched the models based on the pattern of the palatal rugae.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall accuracy for all 50 paired models ranged from 72 to 96%, while the percentage correct match for each of the 50 paired models range from 40-100%. All the examiners properly matched 60% of the models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rugoscopy is a useful technique for human identification due to the unique rugae pattern in every individual. However, without the aid of ancillary aids, visual inspection alone can be challenging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides useful information on an additional clinical technique relevant for human identification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, University of Ibadan and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Akinyele Olumuyiwa
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Adisa
authors.forename: Bamidele
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kolude
authors.forename: Tunde Joshua
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Ogunrinde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003735:Dental Casting Technique; D003761:Dental Impression Technique; D005553:Forensic Dentistry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010159:Palate / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult