Morphometric Analysis of Hard Palate using Cone Beam Computed Tomography for Sex Estimation

Abstract

Background: Sex determination from skeletal remains is crucial in forensic anthropology. The hard palate, being resistant to postmortem degradation, presents a potential indicator for sex estimation. This study aimed to analyse the hard palate's dimensions and structure in the South Indian population to assess its efficacy in sex determination.

Materials and Methods: The study examined 58 subjects (29 males, 29 females) using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Measurements included maxilla-alveolar breadth, maxilla-alveolar length, palatal depth, maxilla-alveolar index, and palatal size. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics and independent sample t-tests, with significance set at p≤0.05.

Results: Significant sexual dimorphism was observed in maxilla-alveolar breadth (male: 61.46±3.55mm, female: 67.98±4.00mm, p<0.001), maxilla-alveolar length (male: 48.60±3.98mm, female: 46.13±3.93mm, p = 0.02), and size of the palate (male: 29.89±3.27mm, female: 26.80±3.50mm, p<0.001). The depth of the palate and maxilla-alveolar index showed no statistically significant differences between sexes. The intraclass correlation coefficient demonstrated high reliability for the measurements.

Conclusion: CBCT analysis of the hard palate revealed that maxilla-alveolar breadth, length, and palatal size are reliable indicators for sex determination in the South Indian population. This non-invasive method offers potential applications in forensic anthropology and medical diagnostics, though larger-scale studies are recommended for validation across different populations.