A radio-odontometric analysis of sexual dimorphism in deciduous dentition.
OBJECTIVE
It has been suggested that the level of sexual dimorphism in deciduous dentition is relatively lower than that in permanent dentition. However, in sub adult skeletal remains whose osseous morphological traits of the sex have not defined yet, predicting sex on the basis of odontometric features may be the most precise technique. The aim of the present study was to assess the degree of sexual dimorphism in marginal enamel, dentin and pulp dimensions of second molar deciduous teeth in a pediatric population.


METHODS
The present study was conducted on bitewing radiographs of 64 males and 60 females. The greatest width of enamel, dentin and pulp on mandibular and maxillary second molar deciduous teeth were measured. Student's t-test and discriminant analysis were used to compare the differences in the odontometric parameters between females and males.


RESULTS
Among the second molar measurements, only the maxillary pulp width did significantly discriminate the sex groups. The accuracy of sex identification of a case based on deciduous second molar tooth was approximately 68%.


CONCLUSIONS
The application of second molar deciduous teeth in sex prediction showed moderate level of sexual dimorphism. In this respect, the maxillary pulp width had the greatest amount of contribution in sex discrimination. Therefore, these odontometric traits, in conjunction with other skeletal features, can be used as a supplementary sexing tool for gender prediction in forensic anthropology.
Oral and Dental Disease Research Center, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Maryam
M
Paknahad
Oral and Dental Disease Research Center, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Dental Public Health, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: vossoughim@sums.ac.ir.
Mehrdad
M
Vossoughi
Student Research Committee, International Branch, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Fatemeh
F
Ahmadi Zeydabadi
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003804:Dentin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005260:Female; D005553:Forensic Dentistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009811:Odontometry; D016300:Radiography, Bitewing; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
Deciduous teeth; Forensic science; Odontometrics; Sex prediction