Palatal Rugae Pattern In Central Indian Population

Introduction: Identification of humans is a prime requisite for certification of death, for personal, social and legal reasons in forensic sciences. Palatal rugae considered as an important tool in individual’s identification when other methods are not feasible or available. Objectives: To analyze the various palatal rugae patterns among adult central Indian population and to evaluate for any differences that could be related to gender identification in central Indian population. Material and method: Total 300 individuals (150 males and 150 females) were selected from rural and urban areas ranging in age from 17-25 years and evaluated for different rugae patterns by using Thomas and Kotze classification. Results: The total number and pattern of rugae were not significantly associated with gender. Whereas significant difference in rugae length was linked in both gender. According to length, the primary type of rugae was dominant and according to shape circular patterns of rugae were the most common, in both males and females. Conclusion: Our findings concluded that the palatal rugae patterns of an individual are uniquely structured and specific, when compared to other populations reported in the literature. Palatal rugae patterns are definitely associated with regional variation and can aid as an additional tool in various forensic identification procedures.