Determination of Gender by the Anthropometric Measurement of Human Mandible Using Ramus Breadth and Mandibular Angle: A Cross Sectional Study from South India

Abstract

Background:

Determination of gender of an individual from human skeletal remains is the first and arguably the most important step encountered by both forensic experts and archaeologists. Assessment by metrical methods over simple morphological observations is quite difficult. The mandible is the strongest and hardest facial bone and retains its shape better than other bones. The main objective of the present study was to measure, compare, and evaluate the various measurements of ramus breadth and mandibular angle to assess the usefulness in gender determination.

Methods:

The study was carried out on 220 dry, complete, undamaged human adult mandibles of unknown gender collected various medical colleges in and around Bangalore. Minimum ramus breadth, maximum ramus breadth and mandibular angle were measured using mandibulometer and sliding caliper.

Results:

After obtaining all the measurements, t test was performed. It was found that if the value of minimum ramus breadth ≥ 3.79 cm it could be considered as male and if the value is ≤ 2.36 cm it is of female. For maximum ramus breadth ≥ 4.85 cm it could be considered as male and if the value is ≤ 3.21 cm it is of female.

Conclusion:

Minimum ramus breadth and maximum ramus breadth are highly predictive for the gender of unknown mandible. The present study shows that the mandible is an important bone in the determination of gender with high accuracy.