Assessment of mandibular landmark relationships on orthopantomograms for human identification

The identification of dismembered human remains is a complex task in which forensic dentistry plays a central role. Orthopantomograms are commonly available in dental records and can be obtained with relative ease. This study evaluated the reliability of identifying eight mandibular landmarks on such images across different observers and investigated the potential for individualization based on 72 derived parameters (angles and ratios) in a sample of 223 Chilean adults with complete dentition. Inter- and intra-observer reliability were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and the discriminative power of each parameter was evaluated using Potential Set statistics. Correlations between parameters were analyzed using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. The results indicate that the most reliable and effective parameters for individualization are the angles formed by the coronoid process, condyle, and mandibular foramen, with a Median Potential Set value of 3.14% and an ICC of 0.97. To address scenarios involving incomplete mandibles, a ranked list of parameters based on their performance was established. The findings suggest that the proposed methodology can support the individualization of human remains using orthopantomograms, particularly in cases involving limited or severely damaged dismembered remains.