Assessment of sexual dimorphism using digital orthopantomographs in South Indians.

INTRODUCTION: The identification of human skeletal remains plays a crucial role in forensic investigation and its accuracy depends on the available parts of the skeleton. The mandible is the hardest and strongest bone of the skull, which exhibits a high degree of sexual dimorphism and helps to identify the sex in human remains. The aim of this study was to develop discriminant function to determine sex from the mandibular radiographs in a South Indian (Visakhapatnam) population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study consisted of 384 (192 males and 192 females) digital orthopantomographs (OPGs) divided into five groups according to age. Ten mandibular variables were measured using Planmeca Romexis software. The data were tabulated and subjected to discriminant function analyses using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 20.0) package. RESULTS: All the parameters showed a significant sexual dimorphism (P < 0.001) except for the gonial angle. An overall accuracy of 75.8% was achieved and coronoid height (CrH) was the single best parameter providing an accuracy of 74.1%. CONCLUSION: All the mandibular variables except for the gonial angle (GA) were found to be reliable in determining the sex in South Indians for forensic purposes.

Is Greulich and Pyle standards of skeletal maturation applicable for age estimation in South Indian Andhra children?

INTRODUCTION: Now-a-day age determination has gained importance for various forensic and legal reasons. Skeletal age (SA) of a test population can be estimated by comparing with established standards of Greulich and Pyle (G-P). As this atlas has been prepared using data from upper-class children born between 1917 and 1942 in the USA and the applicability of these standards to contemporary populations has yet to be tested on Andhra children living in India. Hence, this study was aimed to assess the reliability of bone age calculated by G-P atlas in estimation of age in selected population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 660 children (330 girls, 330 boys) between ages 9 and 20 years were randomly selected from outpatient Department of Oral Medicine in GITAM Dental College, Andhra Pradesh. Digital hand-wrist radiographs were obtained and assessed for SA using G-P atlas and the difference between estimated SA and chronological age (CA) were compared with paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS: G-P method underestimated the SA by 0.23 ± 1.53 years for boys and overestimated SA by 0.02 ± 2 years in girls and mild underestimation was noted in the total sample of about 0.1 ± 1.78 years. Spearman rank test showed significant correlation between SA and CA (r = 0.86; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study concluded that G-P standards were reliable in assessing age in South Indian Andhra children of age 9-20 years with unknown CA.

Digital radiographic evaluation of hand-wrist bone maturation and prediction of age in South Indian adolescents.

BACKGROUND: In the growing years, indicators of the level of maturational development of the individual provide the best means for evaluating biologic age and the associated timing of skeletal growth. The relative stage of maturity of a child may be determined by comparing the child's hand-wrist radiograph to the known standards of skeletal development. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: In this study, we assessed various levels of skeletal maturation and also identified the relationship between chronological age (CA) and maturation stage using the hand-wrist radiographs in adolescents of Indian origin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred and thirty hand-wrist digital radiographs of individuals aged 8 to 18 years were evaluated for skeletal maturity levels using Fishman's method. The data was analysed using the SPSS software package (version 12, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Regression analysis was performed for calculating bone age of both males and females. Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficients were estimated separately for males and females to assess the relation between CA and maturation level. RESULTS: An association between skeletal maturation indicator stages and CA (r = 0.82) was significant. Interestingly, female subjects were observed to be advanced in skeletal maturity compared to males. Regression equations were derived to calculate bone age in males, females and the whole sample. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed significant association between hand-wrist skeletal maturation levels and CA. Digital radiographic assessment of hand-wrist skeletal maturation can be used as a better choice for predicting average bone age of an individual because of its simplicity, reliability and lesser radiation exposure.