Comparative analysis of clinical and experimental methods for determination of sexual dimorphism of mandibular canines.

The identification of gender is of significance in case of major disasters where bodies are often damaged beyond recognition Teeth are the hardest and chemically the most stable structure in the body. Moreover teeth show signs of least amount of changes in morphology and are easily accessible for examination. Therefore teeth are a first-rate material for genetic and forensic investigations. Out of all the teeth mandibular canines are considered as the "key teeth" for personal identification. Many studies have not been conducted simultaneously intra-orally and on the dental casts to establish the sexual dimorphism in the mandibular canines. The present study was undertaken in north Indian population to check the significance of intraoral measurements - mesio distal width and inter-canine distance as compared with the measurements on the dental casts. The study revealed that both the methods were equally reliable in gender determination.