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The goal of this study is to identify and compare palatal rugae patterns in males and females of an average age of 35 in a sample population from Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo Canton), as an additional method for sex differentiation in various situations. The research did not determine any statistically significant difference in the total number of palatal rugae between the sexes, which is in line with previous research. However, in the case of the number of secondary palatal rugae where the probability of an equal average is slightly higher than the tolerance of 5%, the difference being 7.6% which may indicate that secondary palatal rugae are more common in women. However, logistic regression analysis LRA is still more successful in classifying males, 69% of them, while for women the success rate is significantly lower with only 41%. In total, 55% of subjects were correctly classified. It may be concluded that using LRA in palatal rugae could be used as an additional sex differentiation method for the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Establishing a person's identity can be a difficult task in cases of traffic accidents or in mass disaster situations. The records collected to identify a decedent should be accurate and totally inclusive of objective findings. When a victim has no teeth, information for use in personal identification based on methods available in forensic odontology is much more limited than in the case of dentate victims. Palatal rugae have been considered relevant for human identification due to its stability, which is equivalent to the fingerprint, in that it is unique for each ruga pattern. Palatal rugae appear to possess the features of an ideal forensic identification parameter, that is, uniqueness, postmortem resistance, and stability. The purpose of this article was to review the literature, in order to determine if there is enough evidence to establish the use of palatal rugae in dental identification., (© 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.)

The purpose of this study is a new method that can help to identify the sex through the study of palatal rugae, comparing sagittal sections of the hard palate using Cartesian coordinates and evaluating the assistance given by digital technology and its applicability in this method. In this study, 57 digital impressions were examined and divided in two groups based on sex. Results: 2223 impression sections were studied and 145 coordinates that were present with a frequency greater than 50% in one or both groups were obtained: 52 discriminating traits (DT) in the male group, 29 discriminating traits in the female group, and 64 common traits (CT). The DTs in the female group showed no statistically significant difference from the same coordinates in the male one (p = 0.832). Statistically significant differences were observed in the DTs in the male group compared to the same coordinates in the female group (p = 0.018). No statistically significant differences were observed in the frequency of DTs in both sexes (p = 0.056). Further research in forensic odontology is needed to determine its scientific certainty. It is certain that digital technology may one day be a valuable support for the forensic odontologist but to date the lack of dedicated and certified programs limits its reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sample of 38 Italian subjects (17 males and 21 females, mean age 8.2 ± 1.2 years, age range 7.2–8.8 years), who underwent active Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME), was studied to assess the reliability of an intraoral scan and the stability of palatal rugae. An intraoral scanner was used to obtain digital dental models pre- and post-treatment. A 3D-3D superimposition procedure was performed, and the Root Mean Square (RMS) of the distance calculated, to verify the forensic validity of this biometric technique. The Intra-Class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) values for the overall inter- and intra-observer agreement were 0.955 (95% CI: 0.931–0.980; p < 0.001) and 0.936 (95% CI: 0.918–0.975; p < 0.001), respectively. The values for TEM and rTEM tests were 0.423 and 1.2% for intra-observer; 0.637 and 1.7% for inter-observer. Results showed a statistically significant difference in RMS mean point-to-point distance between untreated control and treated subjects (p = 0.002). The RMS values to distinguish the pooled group (untreated and treated with RME) from any mismatch ranged from 0.42 to 0.61. This methodology was highly suitable to detect changes caused by RME. Since some modifications were detected, caution is necessary when palatal rugae are analysed for forensic purposes in subjects who underwent RME. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is a new method that can help to identify the sex through the study of palatal rugae, comparing sagittal sections of the hard palate using Cartesian coordinates and evaluating the assistance given by digital technology and its applicability in this method. In this study, 57 digital impressions were examined and divided in two groups based on sex. Results: 2223 impression sections were studied and 145 coordinates that were present with a frequency greater than 50% in one or both groups were obtained: 52 discriminating traits (DT) in the male group, 29 discriminating traits in the female group, and 64 common traits (CT). The DTs in the female group showed no statistically significant difference from the same coordinates in the male one (p = 0.832). Statistically significant differences were observed in the DTs in the male group compared to the same coordinates in the female group (p = 0.018). No statistically significant differences were observed in the frequency of DTs in both sexes (p = 0.056). Further research in forensic odontology is needed to determine its scientific certainty. It is certain that digital technology may one day be a valuable support for the forensic odontologist but to date the lack of dedicated and certified programs limits its reliability.

Background: Palatal rugae are unique for an individual and remain unchanged during individual's lifetime. Application of palatal rugae analysis as a method in gender identification needs to be confirmed with more scientific studies. The objectives of the present study were to assess the distribution of the palatal rugae patterns in Kerala population and compare the distribution of these parameters between males and females. Materials & Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted by evaluating the casts of 100 dentate individuals, between the age of 18 and 30 years. The rugae were divided into two halves and patterns were then assessed as per Thomas and Kotze classification. Independent sample t-test was used to assess the significant difference of each type of palatal rugae between males and females. Results: Wavy rugae (mean – 5.6 ± 0.7) was predominant among males whereas curved (mean – 4.6 ± 0.6) and circular rugae (mean – 0.9 ± 0.3) were more in females, and were found to be statistically significant (p

Background: Palatal rugae are unique for an individual and remain unchanged during individual's lifetime. Application of palatal rugae analysis as a method in gender identification needs to be confirmed with more scientific studies. The objectives of the present study were to assess the distribution of the palatal rugae patterns in Kerala population and compare the distribution of these parameters between males and females. Materials & Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted by evaluating the casts of 100 dentate individuals, between the age of 18 and 30 years. The rugae were divided into two halves and patterns were then assessed as per Thomas and Kotze classification. Independent sample t-test was used to assess the significant difference of each type of palatal rugae between males and females. Results: Wavy rugae (mean – 5.6 ± 0.7) was predominant among males whereas curved (mean – 4.6 ± 0.6) and circular rugae (mean – 0.9 ± 0.3) were more in females and were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). The mean number of secondary rugae in females (1.5 ± 0.5) was greater than that of males (1.3 ± 0.4) and was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). The diverging type was commonly found in females compared to males. Conclusion: Our findings showed statistically significant differences in the shapes and patterns of rugae between males and females among Kerala population. Thus, morphological analysis of palatal rugae can be considered as an additional aid in forensic odontology for gender differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Palatal rugae are anatomically asymmetrical and irregular ridges in the anterior palatal region. The palatal ruages were demonstrated to be useful in the field of forensic dentistry. This study was taken to assess the ruage patter to compare with gender identification in those who had attended dental institutions in Andhra Pradesh. Materials and Methods A total of 40 subjects were included in the present study, those who attended a dental institution as a prospective cross sectional study. The rugae patterns were marked and classified according to Kapali et al., 1997, based on morphological pattern. Results Female participants were more numerous in study samples when compared with males. The palatal ruage in female participants showed a higher incidence of wavy, circular, and divergent patterns, while male participants showed straight, curved, wavy, and convergent rugae patterns. Comparison of gender with respect to the mean number of rugae patterns on the right and left sides using a student t-test revealed that there was no stastically significant (p≥0.05). Summary and Conclusions The rugae pattern can be one of the important aspects in the field of forensic odontology. The palate represents a suitable landmark for unique and identifying features, with the additional benefit of survival in most postmortem events that can disrupt or change other body parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine the method of least-square fitting for calibrating the palatal rugae boundary. Methods According to the distribution of the teeth, the feature points were selected; when they were fit, the boundary of the palatal rugae area was created, thereby constructing a mask. The mask was used to remove the part located outside the boundary and filter out the interference. Three samples were utilized for the experiments and analyses to come. Results To evaluate the quantitative results of the fitting curves, the correlation coefficients（r）of the samples and the relationship between the actual mean value and ideal mean value was obtained through six fitting processes. The differences between the actual mean and ideal mean were found to be significantly small（from 0.285 7 to 2.500 0）in the six fitting processes, with the range of r close to 1（from 0.989 6 to 0.999 5）. Conclusion The effect of the cubic polynomial fitting method adopted in this study was stable.The proposed boundary calibration method can effectively locate the palatal rugae boundary and remove the interference area, further promoting the practice of forensic identification.

Background: The palatal rugae contribute to oral swallowing, taste perception, and speech. From a forensic point of view, the distinctive morphology of these structures can be used to support human identification. However, the morphology of the rugae may be altered by trauma or therapeutic interventions in the palate. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the morphology of the palatal rugae before and after orthodontic treatment performed with and without maxillary expansion and dental extractions. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 60 dental casts taken before (n = 30) and after (n = 30) orthodontic treatment from patients aged >18 years. The patients were treated with rapid maxillary expansion by using Haas appliance (n = 10), by extracting the maxillary first premolars (n = 10) and by using only conventional fixed orthodontic appliances (n = 10). All the dental casts were analyzed twice by two independent examiners that were blind for the type of treatment. Results: All the differences between groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). More alterations in the morphology of the palatal rugae were observed in patients treated with rapid maxillary expansion, whereas few alterations were performed in patients treated with no maxillary expansion or dental extractions. Conclusion: The use of palatal rugae for forensic purposes must be avoided in patients that underwent invasive orthodontic treatments, such as those founded on maxillary expansion and dental extractions.

Objectives: To evaluate the individuality of palatal rugae patten and correlate them in males and females in different age groups by using Trobo's classification. Study Design: Cross Sectional. Setting: Department of Prosthodontics, Dow Dental College, Dow University of Health Sciences. Period: September 2019 to January 2020. Material & Methods: This study comprised of ninety-four participants with equal number of males and females from 10 years to 70 years, visiting the Prosthodontic department. Study casts included were free of dental abnormality, trauma, malocclusion, orthodontic problems, and deformity in palatal rugae area. Sample size was calculated from software name openepi.com with 95% confidence interval. Data was tabulated and SPSS version 22.0 was used to identify the results. Results: Frequency distribution was performed among age groups in which second group (20 to 39 years) has highest frequency with 52 in number. The cross tab between age group and type of rugae was made which showed group II, having age between 20 to 39 years, had the highest number of palatal rugae configurations amongst all. Conclusion: Sinuous or type E was the predominant type of palatal rugae found in this study. The study did not show significant difference in gender, however number of rugae were found consistently more in young adults with propensity towards individuality. Their use can thus be justified for dental identification in forensic odontology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: DNA base identification is a proper and high specificity method. However, identification could be challenged in a situation where there is no database or the DNA sequence is almost identical, as in the case of monozygotic (MZ) twins. The aim of this study was to introduce a novel forensic method for distinguishing between almost identical MZ twins by means of an intraoral scanner using the 3D digital pattern of the human palate. Methods: The palatal area of 64 MZ twins and 33 same-sex dizygotic (DZ) twins (DZSS) and seven opposite-sex dizygotic twins (DZOS) were scanned three times with an intraoral scanner. From the scanned data, an STL file was created and exported into the GOM Inspect® inspection software. All scans within a twin pair were superimposed on each other. The average deviation between scans of the same subject (intra-subject deviation, ISD) and between scans of the two siblings within a twin pair (intra-twin deviation, ITD) was measured. One-sided tolerance interval covering 99% of the population with 99% confidence was calculated for the ISD (upper limit) and the ITD (lower limit). Results: The mean ISD of the palatal scan was 35.3 μm ± 0.78 μm. The calculated upper tolerance limit was 95 μm. The mean ITD of MZ twins (406 μm ± 15 μm) was significantly (p < 0.001) higher than the ISD, and it was significantly lower than the ITD of DZSS twins (594 μm ± 53 μm, p < 0.01) and the ITD of DZOS twins (853 μm ± 202 μm, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The reproducibility of palatal intraoral scans proved to be excellent. The morphology of the palate shows differences between members of MZ twins despite their almost identical DNA, indicating that this method could be useful in forensic odontology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of palatal rugae is shown to be scientifically valid to human identification due to the unique number and style of the palatal ridges. Dentures provide an array of data and specifics that allow for the individualization of their wearers. This article describes the identification of edentulous, skeletonized remains through the analysis of the palatal rugae printed on the complete upper denture and subsequent comparison with the palatal rugae of an old complete denture of an unknown missing person. The analyses focus on the form, classification, location, and size of the palatal rugae which, in conjunction with the information obtained from the anthropological examination, resulted in a positive identification of the cadaver. This method has a significant impact on the identification process, particularly when other identification methodologies and techniques cannot be implemented. This case report highlights the importance of palatal rugae in human identification in cases of edentulous cadavers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To analyze the morphological parameters of palatal rugae in a population of Maharashtrian ancestry. Material and methods: This study was conducted on 1000 subjects of Maharashtrian ancestry with at least 3 generations on the mother's and father's side. Their palatal impressions were obtained with alginate and the casts were analyzed for length, shape and direction of palatal rugae. Results: Our results showed that the most predominant rugae were primary followed by secondary and fragmentary with significant differences between them. The most prevalent rugae shapes found were straight followed by wavy followed by curved with significant differences between them. According to direction, forward rugae were significantly higher than perpendicular rugae and backward rugae. Conclusion: The rugae are considered to have population specific configurations. This baseline data of patterns of palatal rugae in a sample of Maharashtrian ancestry may serve 'as an accessory tool' for population identification in Forensic Dentistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: In cases of mass mortality, forensic identification is certainly needed. One of forensic identification methods that can be used in such cases is forensic odontology, which is helpful in human identification based on dental records and evaluation of dental findings. The INTERPOL has categorized disaster victim identification (DVI) into primary and secondary methods. The primary identification methods include fingerprint, DNA, and dental analyses. The secondary identification methods involve palatal rugae analysis, lip prints, and objects found with victims at a scene. Palatal rugae is known for its resistance to environmental change, stability, and individuality. Palatal rugae can be investigated for up to 7 days after death, and it can also be identified even when a victim's body is in a bad condition, such as burned out. Moreover, palatal rugae analysis can be applied as one of the secondary identification methods to identify the gender of individuals. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine the differences in palatal rugae shape between males and females in an Indonesian subpopulation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted by observing 100 maxillary jaws of 50 men and 50 women from Indonesia, aged 19-60 years based on Basauri classification. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the palatal rugae shape between males and females on either the left or right side, but the shape of palatal rugae was different between males and females in terms of distribution. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that although palatal rugae in every individual is different, they still cannot disclose the differences between males and females in the Indonesian subpopulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The palatal rugae contribute to oral swallowing, taste perception, and speech. From a forensic point of view, the distinctive morphology of these structures can be used to support human identification. However, the morphology of the rugae may be altered by trauma or therapeutic interventions in the palate.Objective: This study aimed to analyze the morphology of the palatal rugae before and after orthodontic treatment performed with and without maxillary expansion and dental extractions.Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 60 dental casts taken before (n = 30) and after (n = 30) orthodontic treatment from patients aged >18 years. The patients were treated with rapid maxillary expansion by using Haas appliance (n = 10), by extracting the maxillary first premolars (n = 10) and by using only conventional fixed orthodontic appliances (n = 10). All the dental casts were analyzed twice by two independent examiners that were blind for the type of treatment.Results: All the differences between groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). More alterations in the morphology of the palatal rugae were observed in patients treated with rapid maxillary expansion, whereas few alterations were performed in patients treated with no maxillary expansion or dental extractions.Conclusion: The use of palatal rugae for forensic purposes must be avoided in patients that underwent invasive orthodontic treatments, such as those founded on maxillary expansion and dental extractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was done with aim to determine the morphometric changes in dimensions that occur in palatal rugae pattern during extraction and non-extraction orthodontic treatment as palatal rugae are considered unique and stable landmark in the oral cavity. This study also help in proving reliability of palatal rugae in forensic to identify human whos fingerprints are unavailable and antemortem palatal rugae records are present, as palatal rugae pattern is considered highly individual-specific. After orthodontic treatment, palatal rugae are morphologically diverse, but these changes do not greatly influence the individual identification in the field of forensic dentistry. Hence carefully assessed rugaue pattern may have definite role in forensic identification. Palatal rugae hold potential as a supplementary tool, along with dentition, to establish the identity of an individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine if there is any similarity in palatal rugae patterns of offsprings and their parents. Objective: To investigate the potential role of palatal rugae in personal identification and paternity testing. Materials and Method: This study consisted of 50 pairs of participants which include the parents and their son or daughter. Occlusal photographs were taken using intraoral mirror. The palatal rugae pattern were traced in the photographs and classified according to Thomas and Kotze classification (1983). The data was subjected to contingency coefficient score determination and spearmans correlation and the similarity was statistically analysed. Results: The average number of palate rugae on the basis of length, shape and the prevalence on both left and right side were found to be similar in both parents and offsprings. The chi square test showed that there was a significant relationship between the palate rugae patterns of offsprings and parent. Further analysis by Pearsons correlation test and spearmans rho correlation coefficient test confirmed the same. Conclusion: The results of the study show that the palatal rugae pattern is a structure inherited and hence can be used as a tool in paternity testing and in personal identification. The palate rugae pattern hence can become one of the easiest, most efficient tool in forensic dentistry in the presence of an antemortem record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statement of the Problem: Palatal rugae have been considered equivalent to fingerprints, as they are unique to each individual. It has been shown that palatal rugae are associated with specific racial groups and are known to aid sex identification. Due to the lack of any published data on palatal rugae morphology on Iranian children, the present study was performed. Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate differences in the morphology of individual palatal in a sample of Iranian children. Additionally, it is intended to develop discriminant function to identify sex, based on rugae morphology. Materials and Method: A total of 120 pre-orthodontic casts were evaluated for different rugae patterns using the Thomas and Kotze classification. The casts were equally distributed between sexes with an age range of 6-12 years. Rugae length, shape, and associated morphology were recorded and the independent t-test and Chi-square test were used to compare the mean and relationship between the attributes. The discriminant function analysis was applied to the data in order to determine the applicability of palatal rugae patterns as an aid for sex identification. Results: While the total rugae count showed an insignificant difference between the males and females, the rugae count on the right side of the palates showed a significant difference (p= 0.046). The primary rugae were most common in both sexes, followed by the secondary and fragmentary rugae. The most prevalent rugae shape between both sexes was the wavy rugae followed by the curve and straight shapes in males and the straight and curve shapes in females. A significant difference was observed in the number of the curve rugae between the sexes. Discriminant function analysis allowed sex differentiation with an accuracy of 60.8%. Conclusion: Palatal rugae shapes are unique to each individual and could be used as a potential tool for sex identification. Further research on a larger sample is required to fully confirm the application of this method (e.g. in forensic medicine) as a complementary technique for sex identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palatal rugae is an irregular soft tissue, which is located in the front third of the hard palate, and is asymmetrically distributed from the middle suture to the sides. The difference, stability and extensive characteristics of palatal rugae morphology have gradually make it a characteristic indicator of forensic identification. However, a mature digital palatal rugae identification system has not yet been established at present. Feature extraction is the premise of palatal rugae image recognition. In order to obtain palatal rugae feature information in all directions and improve the reliability of forensic identification, it is necessary to collect palatal rugae images from a plurality of different angles. When the collected images are sent to the recognition system, the diversity of angles will often cause problems such as error recognition. If the tilted images are not rotated properly, it will make the forensic identification face many difficulties. To solve the problem of image skew caused by the diversity of acquisition angle, an algorithm based on orientation vector to correct the tilted palatal rugae images was proposed in this paper. Firstly, the criteria for standard palatal rugae image and the selection rules for feature points were set; Secondly, characterizing feature points according to the rules, and fitting two lines and find their direction vector; Finally, to obtain the corrected images, the tilted images were rotated by the angle determined by the two direction vectors. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can correct the tilted palatal rugae images collected from different angles and has strong robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palatal rugae are periodic structures situated in the palatal mucosa, often used as landmarks for human identification and superimposition of digital dental models. This review aims to collect the current evidence regarding whether orthodontic palatal expansion could affect the stability of the palatal rugae and to give preliminary guidelines. A systematic review of the literature was performed in the scientific databases Pubmed; Embase; WoS; and Cochrane. Grey Literature was also sought (clinicaltrial.gov; ICTRP; AHRQ; INAHTA). The search protocol, was registered in PROSPERO (N*208722). Data extraction comprised: year of publication, journal, sample size, characteristics of the experimental and control group, type of expander, expansion protocol, rugae classification, measurement method on casts, time between casts, method error, rugae change, morphology change and overall outcome. Risk of bias of the included articles was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. A total of 12394 manuscripts were retrieved after duplicate removal. From these, nine articles were finally included for data extraction. three studies scored as low risk of bias, two as medium and four as high. The morphology of the palatal rugae can be modified by palatal expansion techniques, especially by rapid maxillary expansion. The first rugae is the most stable along with the points close to the palatal midline, which should be used as a reference both for manual or semi-automatic superimpositions. Human identification and serial superimpositions based on palatal rugae should not be carried immediately post expansion and be taken in consideration with caution in patients who underwent prior palatal expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Palatal rugae have been shown to be associated with racial and geographical variations and are known to be useful in sex identification. The present study aimed to assess palatal rugae patterns in a sample Iranian population and to compare the results with those from other studied populations. Methods: During summer 2017, 130 pre-orthodontic plaster casts from patients aged 17-25 years (65 males and 65 females) were obtained from the Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. The castes were evaluated using the classification given by Thomas and Kotze followed by recording the rugae lengths and shapes. The data were analyzed with the SPSS statistical software package (version 15.0) using the unpaired t test and Chi-square test. P<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Additionally, discriminant function analysis was applied to determine the applicability of palatal rugae patterns as a tool to aid sex identification. Results: The rugae count showed an insignificant difference between the Iranian males and females. The primary rugae were most common in both sexes followed by the secondary and fragmentary. Significant differences were observed between the sexes and the number of primary rugae in males (P=0.03) and fragmentary rugae in females (P=0.04) on the left side of the palate. A significant difference in the straight and diverging unification types was observed, which was highest in males (P=0.01) and females (P=0.03), respectively. Discriminant function analysis enabled sex identification with an accuracy of 70%. Conclusion: Palatal rugae is shown to be an appropriate tool for sex identification in an Iranian population. Further studies with a larger sample size are required for a comprehensive outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Establishing a person's identity is very important for medicolegal purposes. Forensic odontology is defined as a branch of dentistry which deals with the appropriate handling and examination of dental evidences with the proper evaluation and presentation of dental findings in the interest of justice. In recent times, palatal rugae are used for personal identification and sex determination. This study aims to determine the variation in the palatal rugae in males and females which can be used for forensic purposes. Materials and Methods: Dental stone preparation of the rugae of both males and females from Chennai, aged between 15 and 20, was done. The primary and secondary rugae pattern, shape, and length were studied using Thomas and Kotze classification. Results: The total number of rugae was found to be 422 (males - 230 and females - 192). The mean value of the total number of primary rugae in males (8.5) was found to be greater than that of females (7.3). The number of wavy-shaped rugae in males and females was found to be 122 and 90, respectively. The number of curve- shaped rugae in males and females was found to be 121 and 91, respectively. Of 422 rugae, only 2 rugae were found to be straight, and circle-shaped rugae were not found at all. Based on unification, of 422 rugae, 10 were divergent rugae and 5 were converging rugae. Conclusion: Thus, it is found that males have greater number of rugae when compared to females. The primary rugae are found in significantly in males than in females. In shapes, wavy and curvy shapes wereas common than straight and circle. Converging rugae were mostly found in females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to the distinctive anatomy of the human dentition, the teeth and palatal rugae of the oral cavity have a vital role in forensic dentistry. In certain situations, when teeth are missing due to trauma, palatal rugae have been used to help in recognition and matching of the individual. The palatine rugae pattern is unique for each human being and so can be used in identification. Age, sex, and even ethnic identity can be determined using rugoscopy. Aim: To discover whether there are any specific rugal patterns pertaining to any age group, gender, and ethnicity, and whether these can be used to assess these parameters during forensic examination. Materials and methods: Totally, 100 males and 100 females of Kerala origin and 12 non-Keralite males and females each were assessed in this study. Data from the right side and left side were collected separately. Results: The results presented here provide data on the direction, shape, length, unification, and number of rugae. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software was used to analyze the results statistically. Conclusion: On analysis, significant differences existed in the shape, length, number, and direction among the populations. However, unification of rugae was not found to be significant statistically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper discusses palatal rugae patterns and their contribution in the identification of individuals and the determination of family lineage in West Sumatera, Indonesia. Identifying an individual is a prerequisite for the issuance of death certificate as well as for personal, social and legal reasons. The most common techniques used in this context are dental records, fingerprint and DNA comparisons. However, under certain circumstances, these cannot always be used. But interestingly, palatal rugae patterns are preservable because they are impervious to disasters and hostile conditions and can be used as alternative human identification techniques. This paper argues that the study of palatal rugae (rugoscopy) cannot only help to reveal a person's identity but also to determine their family lineage. Objective: The present study was carried out to ascertain whether there is any hereditary patterns in the palatal rugae patterns of the mother, father, and the offpring in one family. Method: This is a cross sectional study of 48 samples consisting of 12 families in Luhak Nan Tigo. The parents and offspring (son or daughter) of each family were randomly selected. Palatal rugae impression was recorded using alginate while palatal rugae patterns were noted and recorded. One Way ANOVA test (SPSS 17) was used as statistical anaysis method. Result : The study shows that there is a significant similarity in curved, wavy, and straight rugae patterns (p> 0.05) as well as in primary, secondary, and fragmented rugae based on the family tie between the father, mother, sons and daughters of the Minangkabau ethnic. Unilateral and circular rugae tests are insignificant (p <0.05). Conclussion : This is a cross sectional study whose results are only based on 48 samples consisting of 12 families, therefore further studies are needed with a larger sample quantity. The results of this study indicate the role of factors in the patterns of palatal rugae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forensic odontology plays important role in identification of human remains in mass disasters such as air crash, tsunami, and accidents. Palatal rugae act as an ideal requisite for human identification as they are present in all victims and are resistant to changes such as aging and trauma. The study aimed to analyze differences in shape and number of palatal rugae in population from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states. Methods: This study was conducted in SIBAR institute of Dental Sciences, Guntur, India in 2012 on 200 subjects, gender matched and equally divided as 100 from Andhra Pradesh and 100 from Telangana states. Rugae were studied using Kapali.S classification. Association between rugae shape and gender variation between the two populations were tested by chi-square analysis and student t-test. Results: Average number of rugae was more (11.84±3.03) in subjects of Andhra Pradesh, compared to Telangana (9.50 ±1.65) population. Males of Andhra Pradesh showed significantly higher mean number of total rugae than in Telangana males. Distribution of total number of different rugae shapes in males and females of both the populations showed significant variation in wavy and circular rugae patterns. Wavy, curved and straight rugae were significantly higher in males and females of Andhra Pradesh compared to Telangana population. Telangana population showed significant increase in circular rugae. Conclusion: Our study revealed statistically significant variation in shape and total number of rugae between observed populations of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states.

Model analysis was performed to identify palatal rugae anatomical morphology patterns, evaluate their individual- specific properties and stability before and after orthodontic treatments, and investigate their reliability in the use for individual identification from the perspective of forensic dentistry. Maxillary models of 70 patients were collected before and after orthodontic treatments, palatine images were taken under standard conditions. Pattern-based individual identification was performed through measuring some indices including changes in number, orientation, shape, and length of palatal rugae, as well as mesial and distal endpoint displacement of palatal rugae in the anteroposterior (AP) and mesiodistal (MD) direction. At the same time, maxillary models of 10 patients were randomly selected for individuality confirmation and the average rate of correct matches was calculated. palatal rugae anatomical morphology patterns were highly individual-specific. Palatine of the same pattern were not found before or after orthodontic treatment. Model-based analysis confirmed the high individual-specificity properties of the palatal rugae anatomical morphology patterns, and also showed that the incidence of any morphological change in the patterns after orthodontic treatment was 45.7 % for anteroposterior displacement of the distal endpoint of palatal rugae, 40 % for mesiodistal displacement of the distal endpoint of palatine, 32.9 % for anteroposterior displacement of the mesial endpoint of palatal rugae, and 17.1 % for mesiodistal displacement of the mesial endpoint of palatal rugae. The incidence of change in length, orientation and shape of palatine after orthodontic treatment was 28.6 %, 1.4 % and 1.4 % respectively; and the incidence of palatal segmentation and unification after orthodontic treatment was 4.3 % and 2.9 % respectively. The mean percentage of correct matches of the palatine patterns after orthodontic treatment to their duplicates was 99.05 % and the mean percentage of correct matches of the palatine patterns between before and after orthodontic treatment was 92.19 %. Palatal rugae anatomical morphology patterns are unique to each individual. After orthodontic treatment, palatal rugae have diverse presentation patterns. Although the diverse palatine patterns to a certain degree, influence individual identification in the field of forensic identification, palatal rugae patterns can be used as a novel method for individual identification in forensic dentistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of the palatal rugae in forensic odontology is based on their unique and individual characteristics. Few studies have assessed the palatal rugae in Mediterranean populations and none in the Lebanese population. Objective: Assess the shape and other morphological features of the palatal rugae in a Lebanese adult population and compare them with reported similar features in other populations. Materials and methods: Rugae characteristics were assessed on the maxillary dental casts of 217 non-growing subjects (95 males, 122 females, age 25.5 ± 7.6 years) according to guidelines established by Thomas and Kotze (1983) and Lysell (1955). The overall number of rugae and numbers of primary rugae (>5mm in length), secondary rugae (3-5mm) and fragmentary rugae (2-3mm) on either side were recorded. Rugae were classified according to shape, direction and presence of unification. Z-tests were used to compare the proportions between right and left sides and between genders. The mean numbers of rugae in each category were compared with independent samples t-tests between males and females; paired samples t-tests were employed to compare mean numbers of rugae in each category between right and left sides. The data were compared with published reports on other Mediterranean cohorts. Results: The average number of rugae was 7.7 per individual, 3.81 on the right and 3.89 on the left. Curved, wavy and straight rugae patterns were equally common (one third each). The spatial direction of most rugae (49.3%) was backward. Circular, non-specific and convergent rugae were rare (<2% each). Rugae numbers (total, primary, secondary, fragmentary) were symmetrical but shape, direction and the occurrence of convergence were asymmetrical (p < 0.05). None of the examined characteristics showed gender dimorphism. Tabulated comparisons disclosed the equality of rugae patterns as major differences with findings from other Mediterranean studies. Conclusions: The palatal rugae in the Lebanese population display shape distinct from other reported Mediterranean and non-Caucasian populations. Studies in large samples and primary comparisons with other Mediterranean populations are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The associations between the length and morphological shape-related characteristics of palatal rugae have not been fully explored. Objective: We aimed to assess the possible association among various geometric configurations of the palatal rugae in an adult population. Materials and methods: The maxillary dental casts of 217 non-growing subjects (95 males, 122 females, mean age 25.5±7.6 years) were scanned (laser scanning system Perceptron ScanWorks® V5) and digitized for linear measurements. The casts were also surveyed for visual categorization into curved, wavy, straight and other topographical forms, along with spatial direction of the rugae and the presence of unification. The rugae were categorized as primary, secondary and fragmentary based on their lengths (>5mm, 2-3mm, <2mm, respectively). Chi square and one-way ANOVA and post-hoc tests were used to compare the palatal rugae groupings. Results: Primary and backward-directed rugae prevailed in the total sample (84.7% and 49.3%, respectively). Wavy form was dominant among primary lengths, while straight form was associated with the shorter secondary and fragmentary groups (p=0.0042). Absence of unification was the norm (88.8%). Conclusions: Associations of length and shape characteristics among palatal rugae combine wavy patterns with increased length and straight forms with shorter folds. These features contribute to the definition of ruga individuality in combination rather than separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While abundant research has been conducted on palatal rugae (PR), the literature pertaining to the sex dimorphism of the palatal rugae and their use for sex prediction is inconclusive. Moreover, palatal rugae have been classified into categories based on length, shape, direction and unification but accurate rugal morphometric linear and angular measurements have not yet been reported. Objective: The aims of this study were to -1- assess the dimensions and bilateral symmetry of the first three palatal rugae in an adult population and -2- explore sex dimorphism and the ability to predict sex from palatal rugae measurements. Materials and methods: The maxillary dental casts of 252 non-growing subjects (119 males, 130 females, mean age 25.6 ± 7.7 years) were scanned using a laser system (Perceptron ScanWorks® V5). Angular and linear transverse and anteroposteior measures of the first three palatal rugae were recorded. Independent samples t-tests and paired samples t-tests were used to test for side related differences and sex dimorphism. Multiple logistic regression was employed to model sex using associated palatal rugae measures. Results: Palatal rugae exhibited lateral asymmetry in the majority of bilateral measures. Males presented with larger values for 9 out of 28 parameters. Four linear rugae measurements and one angular measurement together correctly classified 71.4% of the subjects in their true gender. Conclusions: Morphometric palatal rugae measurements demonstrated promising usefulness in sex prediction. Recording morphometric linear and angular measures is recommended as an adjunct to the commonly used classification based on the shapes of rugae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the accuracy rate of a digital image recognition system in matching the palatal rugae Morphology after orthodontic treatment, before orthodontic treatment and to provide theoretical evidence for individual identification in the field of forensic dentistry. High-resolution digital images of the palatal rugae were taken under particular conditions from each patient before and after orthodontic treatment. Features of each digital image were extracted using a digital image recognition system and included in the palatal rugae database. Using an MATLAB software system, information matching of the palatal rugae was performed. From the matching results, the accuracy rate of individual identification of orthodontic patients was 100%, with a Euclidean distance of 0. The accuracy rate in matching palatal rugae patterns before and after orthodontic treatment was 95.67%. The results were statistically significant with P < 0.05. Palatal rugae pattern is highly individual-specific. After orthodontic treatment, palatal rugae are morphologically diverse, but these changes do not greatly influence the individual identification in the field of forensic dentistry, which provides a new method of and pathway to forensic identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: "The fibers running anteroposteriorly within the core and in concentric curves across the base of each rugae" determine their orientation and forms. The varying shapes of palatal rugae can be attributed to the fact that rugae develop as localized regions of epithelial proliferation and thickening. Fibroblasts and collagen fibers then accumulate in the connective tissue beneath the thickened epithelium and assume distinct orientation. Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess the morphology, gender difference of rugae pattern in 5-15 year old children. Materials and Methods: The various diagnostic dental stone cast available in Department of Pedodontics were analyzed by the method based on Thomas and Kotze classification in 1983. Results: There was a female prediction in the total count and primary rugae pattern. Comparing the shapes of rugae both in male and female study models showed a predominance in wave shape followed by cure. No circular pattern was observed in the study population. No statistical difference in the direction and unification of rugae among males and females. Conclusion: The fingerprint-like uniqueness of rugae to each individual has become accepted as a possible aid to person identification. This may help narrow the field for identification and give results in conjunction with the other methods such as visual, fingerprints, and dental characteristics in forensic sciences.

Palatal rugoscopy, or palatoscopy, is the process by which human identification can be obtained by inspecting the transverse palatal rugae inside the mouth. Aim: This study evaluated a digital method for human identification using palatoscopy, by comparing photographs of the palate against the images of cast models of the maxilla photographed with and without highlighting of the palatal rugae. Methods: Condensation silicone impressions were made from the upper arches of 30 adult subjects of both genders and their palates were then photographed. The first impression was made with heavy silicone, the second impression with light silicone, and then the models were cast in improved type IV dental stone. The casts were photographed, the palatal rugae of each one were highlighted with a pencil, and then the models were photographed again. Using a free image-editing software, the digital photographs were overlapped over the images of the palatal rugae of the models with and without highlighting of the palatal rugae, in order to identify the pairs. Results: The result of overlapping the digital photographs with the images of the models without highlighted palatal rugae resulted in 90% positive identification. For the overlapping of the digital photographs with the images of models with highlighted palatal rugae, there was 100% positive identification. Conclusions: The digital method evaluated in this study was proven effective for human identification.

Background: Palatal rugae patterning has been suggested as useful complementary information for forensic purposes, when there are limitations in using the primary identifiers and when the individual patterning from e.g. a dental cast can be traced or the pattern can differentiate between alternative populations of origin. Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the rugae patterns in a sample modern Indonesian population, to compare the patterns to previously reported observations, and to consider the requirements for possible forensic applications. Material and methods: Archival dental casts were randomly selected to include 47 male and 53 female Indonesian patients of the Dental Hospital of the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Indonesia. The age and ethnic/geographic origin of the subjects were also recorded. The Trobo classification was applied to analyze the rugae shape patterns. Results: The results showed the line, sinuous, and curve types of rugae as predominant shapes, representing together about 83 % of the rugae of the study sample that for its size was considered reasonably representative of the Indonesian population. All recorded individual rugae patterns were unique, i.e. no similar patterns were found for any two individuals. The results are consistent with slow rugae loss at an average rate of one ruga in about 15 (±2) years after early adulthood. Conclusions: The palatal rugae patterns provide potentially useful supplementary information to establish the identity of an individual, but only when appropriate antemortem data are available. For this purpose, it is suggested that optical 3D oral/dental scanning is used to retain the data on the rugal and oropalatal patterns. Suitable pattern recognition methods may also reduce the potential effects of rugae modification in time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pattern of palatal rugae is extremely unique to humans as are fingerprints. As genetics play a role in the determination of palatal rugae, hence these can be used in gender determination as well as population differentiation. The present study was undertaken to analyze the different rugae patterns in Ranchi and Patna population and to find whether palatoscopy is a valuable tool in person identification and gender determination. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 maxillary study models (100 males and 100 females) which consist of 100 casts from residents of Patna and 100 casts from residents of Ranchi within 15-30 years age group were analyzed. Rugae pattern were examined for the analysis of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of rugae. Statistical analysis was carried out using Chi-square test and unpaired t-test. Result: Quantitatively, rugae were significantly (P < 0.05) more in females than males. No significant difference was established in rugae pattern between the two populations. In reference to shape, wavy pattern preponderated in females and curved pattern in males, followed by a straight, divergent, convergent, and circular pattern. Circular pattern was more in males than females. Conclusion: The present study concluded that rugae patterns are extremely unique and hence can be used as a supplementary method for human identification and gender determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background of the study: Human identification is a challenging aspect in forensic odontology. There are different methods for identification of an individual, such as finger prints, dental records and lip prints. The palatal rugae may also be considered an alternative method for identification as once formed in the embryo, their shape and consistency will be maintained throughout the life of an individual. Aims and Objectives: The present study is conducted to analyze the difference in shape and number of palatal rugae and compare the gender dissimilarities in the major rugae pattern prevalent in Costal Andhra and Telangana populations. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 persons in the age range of 17-25 years (Costal Andhra 50 and Telangana 50) were selected for the study and casts were prepared. Rugae were recorded based on the shape as wavy, curved, straight, circular, divergent and convergent. The results were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.01 statistical package. Results: Average number of rugae pattern in males was slightly more when compared with females. Curved rugae pattern were more in Costal Andhra and statistically significant (P ≥ 0.001). There was no significant association between the rugae shape and population group studied. Divergent and wavy rugae patterns were more in males compared to females in both groups. Conclusion: Rugae were more in number in Costal Andhra when compared to Telangana population. Wavy pattern were more in Telangana population when compared with Costal Andhra population. This is only preliminary study using geographically similar population and requires further studies on a larger sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the morphometric changes that occur in palatal rugae during orthodontic treatment. The potential impact of these changes on the individuality of the palatal rugae patterns and on the use of palatal rugae patterns in human identification was also explored. Fifty pairs of pre- and post-orthodontic treatment dental casts were used. The palatal rugae patterns were compared between each pre-treatment cast and its post-treatment counterpart to reveal any morphometric changes. In addition, the individuality of the pre- and post-treatment sets of the casts was evaluated. Finally, a matching test of the palatal rugae patterns was performed in which the ability to match each post-treatment cast with its duplicate was compared with the ability to match that post-treatment cast with its pre-treatment counterpart. Statistical analysis of the results revealed the incidence of several morphometric changes, including segmentation (22%); unification (20%); changes in orientation (6%), shape (6%), and length (28%); anteroposterior displacement of the medial (54%) and lateral (60%) end of the ruga; and mediolateral displacement of the medial end of ruga (20%). The individuality of the palatal rugae patterns was confirmed in both pre- and post-treatment sets of casts. Finally, the mean percentage of correct matches was found to be significantly higher when the post-treatment casts were matched with their duplicates compared to when they were matched with their pre-treatment counterparts. The study revealed that Orthodontic treatment induces various morphometric changes in the palatal rugae patterns. These changes may potentially complicate palatal rugae-based human identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The specialization of forensic odontology is fast emerging as a branch that helps in personal identification of both living as well as dead individuals and also in crime scene investigations. Establishing a person's identity can be a challenging task in cases of road accidents or acts of terrorism or mass disaster scenario. It is an established fact that palatal rugae are unique for each individual and can be reliably used in the forensic field for personal identification. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the post-treatment stability of palatal rugae pattern in individuals subjected to orthodontic treatment with and without extractions and palatal expansion. Materials and Methods: A total of 137 pre- and postorthodontically treated casts of patients were obtained from our institute, which were divided into 50 cases each of extraction and non-extraction, 37 cases of palatal expansion involving both extraction and non extraction. Palatal rugae patterns of all the cases were compared pre- and post-treatment. Results: Chi-square test was applied for comparison of changes with respect to shape of rugae patterns. Maximum changes were seen in palatal expansion and extraction group and minimum changes in non-extraction group both on right and left sides. All three groups were compared involving all three parameters by Chi square test. About 89.19% and 84% of the study group showed changes in palatal expansion and extraction cases respectively. Although, a 62% of study subjects showed changes in non-extraction group with a P = 0.00041. Conclusion: Orthodontic treatment has an impact on the stability of palatal rugae so investigator should be aware of this fact when analyzing for identification reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the morphology and individuality of palatal rugae among Jordanians. The assessment of palatal rugae was done on 327 dental casts. The palatal rugae within each cast were outlined and then classified according to their length, shape and orientation. The test of individuality was performed on a subset of 50 casts that were selected randomly from the study sample. Statistical analyses revealed that the only rugae type that was significantly different between males and females was the anterior rugae type (P<0.05). The predominant types of palatal rugae were the primary (P<0.05), the anterior (P<0.05), and the wavy (P<0.05). Moreover, none of the compared palatal rugae patterns were identical. The study provided reference data regarding the morphology of palatal rugae among Jordanians and more importantly it provided evidence that the individuality of palatal rugae is not limited to certain ethnicity or population but is more likely a worldwide phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: This study was conducted to analyze and identify differences in the palatal rugae patterns and to identify gender wise changes in the palatal rugae shapes in populations of five different states of India. Study Design: Study was conducted in five different Indian states. 500 sample subjects from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra were included. Rugae patterns with predominant shapes were analyzed and categorized according to different states and both genders, data was statistically analyzed using SPSS software 15.0 and the results were obtained by Chi-square analysis. Results: "Wavy" type of palatal rugae pattern is the most predominant variant in five different study groups in both the genders. Conclusion: This study could identify variations in distribution of various palatal rugae pattern in five different states and confirmed the "wavy" type of palatal rugae patterns to be the most predominant variant in five different study groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Establishing a person's identity is a very important process in civil and criminal cases. Dental, fingerprint and DNA comparisons are probably the most common techniques allowing fast and secure identification processes. However, in certain circumstances related to the scene of the crime or due to lack of experienced personnel, these techniques might be unavailable, so there is still an increasing need for reliable alternative methods of establishing identity. Objective: The objective of the study was to check for any peculiar lip patterns and rugae patterns in relation to the sex of the individual and to analyze the degree of agreement between three observers. Materials and Method: This study was conducted on 378 subjects, which included 189 males and 189 females, in the age group of 18-30 years. Lip prints and rugae pattern were analysed by three independent observers. Results: Lip print of branched type was most commonly seen in females and cross-section in males. Wavy pattern was most common in males and females in palatal rugae. Conclusion: This study shows that lip prints and palatal rugae are unique to an individual and behold the potential for recognition of the sex of an individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]