title: Is there enough evidence so that mandible can be used as a tool for sex dimorphism? A systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One of the most challenging tasks for forensic science is to identify the unknown human skeletal remains of deceased individuals. Study of sex by distinguishing the various morphological characteristics of bones is utmost important in forensic anthropology and for medico-legal assessment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this article is to review the literature, to find if there is sufficient evidence to establish the use of mandible in sex identification.
  
  
  METHODS
  An electronic search was performed to identify suitable literature, using database of MEDLINE, PubMed, and EBSCOhost. Published articles in between January 2000 and April 2015 were searched. The main focus of search was on the various parameters of mandible studied in last 15 years for sex dimorphism. The focus was on the articles published on radiographic studies as well as on morphometric studies of dry mandible in which skeletal parameters were studied. The screening of titles and abstracts were done, suitable literature that fulfilled the inclusion criteria was selected for a full-text reading.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The initial literature search resulted in 89 articles, out of which only 36 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Out of 16 radiographic studies, 14 showed statistically significant results that the adult mandible could be used with increased sensitivity and objectivity to identify both sex and population affinity compared to other standard analytical techniques, whereas two studies showed insignificant results. Out of 20 morphometric studies of dry mandible 15 studies showed a positive correlation between sex dimorphism and mandibular parameters and five studies did not show any positive correlations between the two.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Prosthodontics and Implantology, People's Dental Academy, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Puja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hazari
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, People's College of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Rakesh S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Hazari
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Prosthodontics and Implantology, People's College of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Sunil Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Prosthodontics and Implantology, People's College of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Surendra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Prosthodontics and Implantology, Bhabha Dental College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Mukesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yadav
keywords: Anthropology; dry mandible; flexure; osteologic; radiographic; sex dimorphism