Volume measurement of mandibular teeth pulp chamber as a prediction tool of gender and ethnicity in a Brazilian population

Authors

  • Karolina Aparecida Castilho Fardim UNESP Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6001-4103
  • Eurico Oliveira Junior
  • Rafael Rodrigues
  • Elaine Araújo
  • João Pedro Gomes
  • André Costa
  • Paulo Henrique da Silva
  • Sergio Lucio Castro Lopes

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14295/bds.2021.v24i1.2230

Abstract

Objective: Forensic dentistry has used some methods for the human identification process. However, there is a need to study characteristics that are able to perform identification more specifically, increasing accuracy. Considering the role of dental arch assessment in prediction of gender and ethnicity, the purpose of this study was to assess the volume of pulp chamber as a mean to obtain new forensic evidence. Material and methods: For this task, 1.190 cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were retrospectively selected and subdivided according to the population number, gender, age and ethnicity. All DICOM files were imported to the open-source software ITK-SNAP® (http://www.itksnap.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php). The segmentation process was performed in all pulp chamber aiming to obtain pulp tissue´s volume. Results: As a result, the pulp chamber volume of mandibular canine teeth showed to be larger in white population than in non-white (P-value = 0.003) and in male individuals in comparison with female (P-value = 0.038). Conclusion: These results, however, must be confirmed by future studies with a larger sample size and by the assessment of other variables, including texture analysis and density of dental tissues.

KEYWORDS

Cone beam computed tomography; Ethnicity; Forensic dentistry; Gender; Pulp chamber volume; Volumetric assessment.

Author Biography

Karolina Aparecida Castilho Fardim, UNESP Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho - Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia

Departamento de Diagnóstico e Cirurgia / Radiologia/Doutoranda em Biopatologia

References

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Published

2020-12-22

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 1 (2021): Jan - Mar / 2021 - published Dec 2020

Section

Clinical or Laboratorial Research

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