Role of Rugae Palatinae in Gender Determination – A Forensic Tool

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Published: May 29, 2023
Keywords:
Forensic Palate Rugae

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Stuti Bajaj
Senior lecturer, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Karnavati School of Dentistry, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
C. Nandini
Professor and Head, Dept. of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Karnavati School of Dentistry, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
Namrah Khan Faramwala
Intern, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Karnavati School of Dentistry, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
Rajat Gajjar
Intern, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Karnavati School of Dentistry, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
Freya Gandhi
Intern, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Karnavati School of Dentistry, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
Raxit Doshi
Intern, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Karnavati School of Dentistry, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.

Abstract

Introduction: Forensic dentistry has become integral to forensic medicine over the past 100 years. Palatal rugae are the transverse ridges present on the anterior two thirds of the palate on both the sides of the median palatal raphe. Clinically they are seen as irregular and asymmetrical elevations on the mucosa in the midsagittal plane. These transverse palatine folds are well protected by its surrounding structures like the lips,cheek,buccal pad of fat, tongue and teeth in incident of fire and high end trauma .
Aim: The aim of our study was to identify the distribution of specific rugal patterns pertaining to any gender, to assess these parameters during forensic examination.
Methodology: .A total number of 100 patients were taken for the study out of which 50 were males and 50 were females and they were randomly selected from the archives. All subjects were between the age group of 15-24 years. The method of rugae recording used in this study was based on the classification given by Kapali et al.and includes shape and unification of rugae The shapes of individual rugae were classified as: Straight, Curved, Wavy ,Circular, Diverging and Converging.
Result: The study showed that the circular rugae pattern and wavy rugae pattern were higher in males than in females, curve and convergent rugae patterns were higher in females than in males and straight and divergent rugae patterns were equally distributed among males and females.

Conclusion: Our study showed a difference in the prevalence of the rugae pattern between males and females.

Article Details

How to Cite
Stuti Bajaj, C. Nandini, Namrah Khan Faramwala, Rajat Gajjar, Freya Gandhi, & Raxit Doshi. (2023). Role of Rugae Palatinae in Gender Determination – A Forensic Tool. Journal of Coastal Life Medicine, 11(2), 509–515. Retrieved from https://www.jclmm.com/index.php/journal/article/view/1041
Issue
Vol. 11: Number 2, 2023
Section
Articles

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