Sex determination by analysis of mental foramen in south Indian population – a radiographic study

Introduction: The strongest bone in the human body is mandible as it persists in a well-preserved state. The forensic dentist commonly uses the morphological features of the mandible in the determination of sex. Among many anatomical landmarks, the mental foramen is a stable landmark on the mandible. It is a small funnel-like opening in the antero- lateral aspect of the mandible at the terminus of the mental canal near the apices of premolars. Aim: The purpose of this study is to determine the gender from the analysis of mental foramen on panoramic radiographs in South Indian population. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 300 orthopantamograms for analysis of mental foramen in population with chronological age range 18-60 years Results: The average values of S-L and I-L were significantly higher in males than in females, while the distances for the right side is higher than the left side both the male and the females group, and the results were significant.