Determination of sexual dimorphism of maxillary sinus using cone-beam computed tomography in a rural population of western Maharashtra – A retrospective, cross-sectional study

Abstract

Context: Radiography is used in forensics for the identification of humans, especially in cases where the body is decomposed, fragmented, or burned. In the skull bones, the zygomatic bone and maxilla including the maxillary sinus tend to remain intact even if the other bones are badly disfigured. Hence, the maxillary sinus has been considered by several authors for sex identification. The cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a non-invasive, recently developed technology that has seen an exponential rise in the use for visualizing dental anatomy and pathologies. The present study chose the available CBCT records of patients who show maxillary sinus and used them for determining sexual dimorphism related to the maxillary sinus. Aims: To measure the maxillary sinuses using CBCT and determine the efficacy of these measurements for sex identification. Settings and Design: Observational, cross-sectional, retrospective study. Methods and Material: A total of 60 CBCT scans (30 males, 30 females) were selected from a rural setup, and the height, length, and width of the maxillary sinus with the highest dimension for each variable were measured and recorded. Statistical Analysis: The data were analyzed by using the paired t-test. The discriminant equations were derived for both the right and left maxillary sinus. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed between the males and females for height (right and left) and length (left) of the maxillary sinus. The accuracy rate for sex identification in the present study was found to be 71.3%. Conclusion: Maxillary sinus height can be used as a reliable radiographic marker in forensic odontology for sex identification.

Keywords

• cone-beam computed tomography
• maxillary sinus dimensions
• sex determination