Sex determination by linear measurements of palatal bones and skull base.

Genetically determined sexual dimorphism is not restricted to reproductive organs. All body structures show sexual differences which emerge during puberty and persist lifelong. The aim of this study is to obtain a reliable method for sex determination through the analysis of linear measurements of palate bones and skull base. One hundred skulls of both sexes, 50 from males and 50 from females, aged between 22 and 55 years, from the São Gonçalo Cemetery of Cuiabá, capital of Mato Grosso state, Brazil, were analyzed. Distances between the incisive foramen, right and left greater palatine foramens and the basion were measured with a digital caliper. Finally, data were tabulated and statistically analyzed. Measurements showed significant sexual dimorphism, except the distance between the right and the left greater palatine foramens. The superior expression of sex dimorphism corresponded to the distance from the basion to the incisive foramen. The authors obtained two mathematical models for sex determination, with a reliability rate of 63% and 65% respectively.

Stature estimation by Carrea's index and its reliability in different types of dental alignment.

Stature is a measurable feature of the body, useful in human identification, which may include or exclude an individual from a missing persons list. The aim of this study is to analyze the Carrea´s index for stature estimation in dental arches with normal dentition, crowding and diastema. Plaster casts of 51 students of the Federal University of Paraíba were analyzed. Each hemiarch was divided according to the dental position, and the elements were measured with divider and digital calipers. Considering the normal and crowded dentition, the Carrea´s index presented a satisfactory success percentage, between 72.2% and 95.2%, with no statistically significant difference between sexes or between right and left sides. The presence of diastema reduced the number of matches to less than 62.5%. It was concluded that the Carrea´s index is a reliable method for height estimation in arches with normal and crowded dentitions, useful in males and females, and in the right and left sides. However, the method was not efficient in hemiarches with diastema.

Dental anomalies and their value in human identification: a case report.

Forensic odontology and anthropology provide valuable support with regard to human identification. In some cases, when soft tissue is destroyed, carbonized or absent for whatever reason, bones and teeth become the only source of information about the identity of the deceased. In human identification, anything different, such as variation from normality, becomes an important tool when trying to establish the identity of the deceased. This paper illustrates a positive identification case achieved by the diagnosis of an anomaly of tooth position, with confirmation using skull-photo superimposition. Even though forensic science presents modern techniques, in this particular case, the anomalous position of the canine played a key role on the identification, showing that the presence of a forensic dentist on the forensic team can be of great value.

Incidence of clavicular rhomboid fossa (impression for costoclavicular ligament) in the Brazilian population: forensic application.

In the last years, anthropology has been widely explored mainly when related to bones due to its morphologic characteristics, such as the rhomboid fossa of the clavicle. This study examined the incidence of the rhomboid fossa in paired clavicles of Brazilian subjects obtained from 209 adult bodies of known age and sex (107 males and 102 females) on which postmortem examinations had been performed by the senior author. The data were submitted to qualitative statistical analysis according to Fisher. There was a statistical difference (p= 5.98 x 10-23) between sexes related to the frequency of the rhomboid fossa. The fossa was absent in 97,1% of the female clavicles and the incidence of bilateral fossa was present in 2,9% of females. The incidence of bilateral fossa was 29% for male clavicles. The sexual or side differences in the incidence of the fossa could be found in this study, and qualitative analysis can corroborate sex determination of unidentified bodies in forensic medicine.

La importancia del peritaje en el estudio comparativo histomorfológico del esmalte, dentina y cemento de dientes humanos y de otros animales

Los pat�logos M�dicos y Odont�logos reciben fragmentos mineralizados para que los mismos establezcan su origen, si se trata de dientes humanos o de animales. Estos materiales no permiten la clasificaci�n de la especie cuando los caracteres anat�micos diferenciales se encuentran fragmentados o deteriorados por agentes f�sicos o qu�micos. Situaci�n �sta donde se tornan necesarios ex�menes histomorfol�gicos para tal clasificaci�n. El objetivo del presente trabajo es proporcionar soporte cient�fico al estudio de los fragmentos mineralizados, cuando es necesario establecer el origen e individualidad de los mismos. Para el siguiente estudio fueron utilizados cortes histol�gicos, longitudinales y transversales, por desgaste del esmalte, dentina y cemento dentario de cada mam�fero estudiado, y analizados por medio de microscop�a de luz. Los resultados demuestran con claridad y precisi�n que el an�lisis histomorfol�gico de las estructuras citadas posibilita la identificaci�n y diferenciaci�n de los g�neros estudiados o excluyen la posibilidad de fragmentos dentarios examinados pertenecer al g�nero Homo sapiens.(AU)

Forensic odontology identification using smile photograph analysis--case reports.

The identification of unknown human by smile photographs that show specific characteristics of each individual has found wide acceptance all over the world. Therefore this paper shows this situation reporting different cases which smile photograph analysis were crucial to determine the positive identification of unidentified human bodies. All the cases were subjected to personal identification by photographs of smile including one adult male found in an advanced stage of decomposition, one adult female disappeared during an ecotourism trip, and one carbonized body of a male individual found in a forest region. During the autopsy the photographs of the smile were used by comparison of the ante and postmortem images gave accurate and useful information not only about dental state but also the anatomical features surrounding the upper and lower anterior dental arches. This method is not time-consuming and also has the advantage of allowing extraoral dental examination. It is also recommended when there is a need to provide quantitative data for a forensic identification based on these structures.

Identification of sex using cranial base measurements.

It is well known that the skull provides elements for sex identification. Twenty-two bones form the cephalic cranium and they are divided into neurocranium and splancnocranium. This research aimed to study different characteristics between skulls from both sexes by evaluating the following measurements: mastoid notch to incisive foramen (right and left side); mastoid notch to mastoid notch; and incisive foramen to basion. In order to do so, two hundred skulls were selected (100 males and 100 females), with information about the age of the subjects (20-55 years old), sex and ethnic group known according to records at the Imaculada Conceicao Cemetery, located in the city of Campinas, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Measurements were taken using a digital calliper. The results were subjected to a statistical analysis (logistic regression and discriminate function) and showed dimorphic characteristics within the measurements. A formula with 79.9% accuracy was established for sex identification (logito = 25.2772 - 0.1601 x incisive foramen to basion - 0.0934 x mastoid notch - mastoid notch). The authors have concluded that the method is efficient and suitable for anthropology and forensic purposes. The research also showed that the analysis may be carried out using a practical computer program.

La importancia del peritaje en el estudio comparativo histomorfológico del esmalte, dentina y cemento de dientes humanos y de otros animales

Los patólogos Médicos y Odontólogos reciben fragmentos mineralizados para que los mismos establezcan su origen, si se trata de dientes humanos o de animales. Estos materiales no permiten la clasificación de la especie cuando los caracteres anatómicos diferenciales se encuentran fragmentados o deteriorados por agentes físicos o químicos. Situación ésta donde se tornan necesarios exámenes histomorfológicos para tal clasificación. El objetivo del presente trabajo es proporcionar soporte científico al estudio de los fragmentos mineralizados, cuando es necesario establecer el origen e individualidad de los mismos. Para el siguiente estudio fueron utilizados cortes histológicos, longitudinales y transversales, por desgaste del esmalte, dentina y cemento dentario de cada mamífero estudiado, y analizados por medio de microscopía de luz. Los resultados demuestran con claridad y precisión que el análisis histomorfológico de las estructuras citadas posibilita la identificación y diferenciación de los géneros estudiados o excluyen la posibilidad de fragmentos dentarios examinados pertenecer al género Homo sapiens.

Pathologist and forensic odontologist receive mineralized fragments to identify their origin, if human or animal teeth. These structures don’t permit the classification of the species when the differential anatomical characters are fragmented or deteriorated by physical or chemical agents, where histomorphological studies are needed for such classification. The purpose of this study is to provide scientifical support to study the mineralized fragments, when it comes to the necessity of the establishment of the origin and individuality of them. For the present study longitudinal and transversal histological cuts by abrasion of the enamel, dentin and cement were utilized and analyzed by means of microscopy. The results have clearly and accurately shown that the histomorphologic analysis of the above-mentioned structures makes either possible to identify and differentiate the gender studied or to exclude the possibility that the dental fragment may belong to the gender Homo sapiens.

The frontal sinus morphology in radiographs of Brazilian subjects: its forensic importance

The determination of gender of unknown persons is of vital importance in forensic investigations, such as anthropologic,medical and dental forensic studies, mainly in cases where only fragments of the skull remain and there is no possibility of identification based on the dental arch. The aim of the present study was to develop a mathematical method based on logistic regression analysis capable of determining the gender of individuals using measurements of the frontal sinus. The right and left areas and the maximum height and width of the frontal sinus were determined in 100 radiographs taken by the Caldwell technique of 50 women and 50 men between 20 and 30 years old, with the help of the prog ram SIARCS 3.0 (EMBRAPA). The mean values of the frontal sinus were greater in males and the left area was larger than the right area, based on Student’s t-test at the 5% level of significance. The mathematical model based on logistic regression analysis gave a concordanceindex for gender of 79.7% in the cases studied. The areas of the frontal sinus and the logistic regression technique proved to be useful in the determination of gender. (Logit = 1.6905 – 0.5383* left area).

Population studies of the Y-chromosome of loci DYS390, DYS391 and DYS393 in Brazilian subjects and its use in human identification.

Human identification can be accomplished by several technical procedures, especially by the comparative analysis of dental documents. Recent advances in molecular biology have now widened the scope for human identification and defined the protocols for the collection of biological material. Allele patterns of a population are particularly useful and they should be verified since they vary in different populations. We have studied the frequency of the alleles in three STR loci of the Y chromosome (DYS390, DYS391 and DYS393) in a group of Brazilian caucasian subjects. Results presented alleles 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 in locus DYS390, alleles 8, 9, 10, 11 12 and 13 in STR DYS391 and alleles in STR DYS393 were 11, 12, 13 14 and 15. The highest frequencies were 24 (0.46), 11 (0.37) and 13 (0.45). Each of the three STR systems had a PE (power of exclusion) of 0.6764 (DYS390), 0.5988 (DYS391) and 0.6136 (DYS393), The combination of the three STR systems revealed a PE of 0.9498, suggesting that this data can help in human identification.

Identificação humana pelos eventos odontológicos e alterações dentárias de um método computadorizado / Identification dental human being for events odontologicos and alterations through a computerized method

Os dentes são os elementos sinaléticos mais resistentes de todos os tecidos do corpo, estes são importantes na identificação devido ao fato de não existirem a mesma característica dentária em dois indivíduos, sendo esta individualidade das particularidades dentárias de um ser humano um dos fatores que mais evidencia com clareza a importância deste processo na identificação. No presente trabalho, propusemos um método padronizado e computadorizado para identificação humana pelos dentes, para tanto foram utilizados dezenove cadáveres, sendo seis exumados, cinco carbonizados, três em avançado estado de putrefação e cinco em fase de esqueletizaçào. Verificamos e concluimos que a notação digital das características odontológicas pelo método adotado, nos permitiu simplificar o sistema de identificação humana pela análise dos dentes com segurança absoluta de pessoas que perderam a vida em condições trágicas quando os métodos tradicionais de identificação não puderam ser aplicados

Determinação da maturidade esquelética e estimativa da idade através de radiografias carpais / Determination of skeletal maturity and estimante of the age through carpal radiographics

O autor, neste trabalho, tem como objetivo a determinação de um modelo para estimar a idade de indivíduos a partir da área de capeamento epifisário do rádio observada em radiografias de mão e punho esquerdo. As áreas do capeamento epifisário do rádio foram determinadas através da utilização de um aplicativo com base em imagens digitalizadas em computador. Foram utilizadas 55 radiografias de indivíduos do sexo masculino e 55 do sexo feminino, com idade variando entre sete e dezoito anos. Foram obtidos modelos para indivíduos do sexo feminino e sexo masculino. A análise dos dados mostram que o aumento da idade está associada à diminuição da área de capeamento epifisário do rádio. Os resultados deste estudo evidenciam a conveniência e o potencial quanto ao uso de modelos de regressão, na obtenção de estimativas da idade dos indivíduos em função da área de capeamento epifisário do rádio

Avaliação cronológica da cicatrização alveolar através de radiografias em humanos voltado para o interesse pericial / Avaliable chronological of the alveolar healization across of radiographic in human returned for the interest of the skill

A cicatrização dos alvéolos dentários, resultantes de exodontias, realizam-se numa seqüência cronológica que nos permite estimar o tempo decorrido entre a data da extração e a face de cicatrização alveolar, em pessoas vivas ou em cadáveres, que apresentam ausência de elementos dentários. No presente trabalho, utilizamos uma amostra de 20 pacientes, de ambos os sexos, na faixa etária de 19 a 50 anos, que se submeteram a intervenções exodônticas com controle radiográfico de 8 dias, até a cicatrização total. Concluímos que há uma seqüência cronológica da cicatrização alveolar, demonstrando que os alveolos do arco dentário superior possuem um período de cicatrização mais acelerado que os inferiores. Verificamos, também, que não houve diferenças significantes na cicatrização alveolar entre os sexos. Foram, ainda, determinadas, estatisticamente, duas funções matemáticas para os arcos dentários superior e inferior, a fim de se calcular o tempo decorrido entre a extração do dente e o nível de cicatrização alveolar

Comparative study of experimentally induced and post-mortem pink teeth.

Forty-eight pink teeth from eight male cadavers, all dying from unnatural causes were studied for the pink tooth phenomenon. Perfusion with whole and lysed blood, at different temperatures was carried out, followed by longitudinal sectioning for histological observation. Another 30 unblemished human teeth were used to reproduce the phenomenon in vitro to help clarify its pathogenesis.

Variability of the nasion-subnasal, subnasalgnathion, and bizygomatic distances of individuals of 6, 7, 11, and 15 years of age and their importance in the determination of the vertical dimension.

A study of the cephalometric points which represent the height and width of the face was undertaken in the city of Piracicaba on 576 boys and girls aged 6, 7, 11, and 15 years. Analysis of the data shows that the measurements increased progressively and proportionately with age and the importance of the cephalometric points in the determination of the vertical dimension in occlusion.