Clinical and experimental methods for sexual identification of mandibular canines in ethnic Himachali population: A comparative analysis

Background: Sex assessment plays a vital role in creating the physical profile of a deceased person, along with considerations of race, stature, and age. Canine teeth are particularly significant in human evolution, as they are frequently among the few dental remains found in fossils and allow them to endure extreme conditions. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess mandibular canines in determining gender among the Himachali population, with a comparative analysis of odontometric measurements. Methods: The study involved 102 participants from an ethnically diverse Himachali population, consisting of 51 males and 51 females, aged between 17 and 25 years, who visited the oral medicine and radiology department at a tertiary care facility. Intraoral measurement of the right and left mandibular canine and intercanine widths was recorded using a Vernier caliper. An alginate impression of the mandibular arches was replicated in study models with dental stones for further analysis. Results: The mean difference between mandibular right and left canine width and intercanine distance in Himachali males and females both intraorally and on casts was statistically nonsignificant. The mean value of the right and left canine and intercanine widths was comparable intraorally and on casts in Himachali males and females. Conclusion: This study suggests mandibular canine measurement as a supplementary and dependable method for sexual identification in humans.