RADIOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF FRONTAL SINUS AND ORBITAL APERTURE FOR AGE AND GENDER DETERMINATION AMONG LUCKNOW POPULATION

Abstract

BACKGROUND Forensic dentistry a branch of dentistry dealing with the proper handling and examination of evidence and proper evaluation and presentation of dental findings. Two important parameters of this study are Orbits and Frontal sinus. The frontal sinus is as unique to each individual as a fingerprint, even in monozygotic twins. Orbital aperture is associated with morphological variations and is used in forensic as a parameter for sexual and ethnic determination in human identification. The orbital aperture is important for gender determination as orbit is resistance to damage and disintegration processes AIM To determine gender and age estimation on the basis of frontal sinus and orbital aperture using digital postero-anterior cephalometric skull view. OBJECTIVES . 1.To measure frontal sinus and orbital aperture for gender determination using digital postero-anterior cephalometric skull view. 2.To measure frontal sinus and orbital aperture for age estimation using postero-anterior cephalometric skull view. 3.To assess the validity of the above structures for age and gender determination MATERIALS AND METHODS In the present study 200 patients (100 males and 100 females) with age range of 15- 70 years Postero-anterior cephalograms of all the subjects involved in the study were taken with standard protocol for radiation protection. • The maximum length and width of the right and left frontal sinus • The maximum length and width of the right and left orbits and the inter-orbital distance 18 RESULTS The results of present study revealed that the frontal sinus decreases with age which was statistically significant (p<0.001); orbital apertures showed no significant changes with increasing age (p > 0.05); frontal sinus and orbital aperture size was greater in male than in females which was statistically significant (p< 001). CONCLUSION It can be concluded that frontal sinus and orbital aperture both can be used as an asset in forensic dentistry; frontal sinus being more useful than orbital aperture which was statistically significant. KEYWORDS- forensic dentistry, frontal sinus, orbital aperture, postero- anterior cephalogram