Corresponding author: Zdravka Harizanova, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, 15A Vassil Aprilov Blvd., 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Email:
Harizanova Z, Baltadjiev A, Yordanova M, Ahmed-Popova F, Boyaci E. Application of odontometric dimensions of molars in sex assessment in Bulgarians. Folia Med (Plovdiv) 2022;64(5):793-798. doi:
Forensic dentistry is a vital branch of forensic sciences, which deals with examination, and evaluation of dental evidences for identification of victims of crime, accidents or calamities. In mass disasters where visual identification of victims is challenging because of the destruction of the soft tissue, not all bones of an individual are recovered. In such instances, the skull and teeth often provide the identification material.[
The purpose of the study was to determine the sexual dimorphism in odontometric dimensions of maxillary and mandibular molars in Bulgarians.
The present study included 121 males and 111 females of Bulgarian origin living in Pazardzhik and Plovdiv in the age group 20-40 years. Before starting the study, subjects were informed about the nature of the study and written informed consents were obtained. Patients were included based on the following criteria: presence of complete set of fully erupted and periodontally healthy teeth; presence of non-carious and non-worn teeth; no dental history of any crown restorations or bridges; normal occlusion. Exclusion criteria were history or clinical evidence of cleft palate, orthognathic surgery or trauma, history or clinical features suggestive of endocranial disorders, metabolic disorders, developmental disorders, and history of prolonged illness.
Vestibulolingual, mesiodistal, and cervicoincisal (coronal height) dimensions of molars were measured by Dentistry Sliding Vernier Caliper, Ridge Mapping Caliper Type A and Type B. We used the technique of Martin-Saller, modified by Professor Yordanov.[
The measurements were analyzed with SPSS 23.0 using Student’s t-test. The level of statistical significance was set at
We found statistically significant differences between the two sexes in the mesiodistal dimensions of the maxillary first molars with high degree of significance (
Significant differences were found in the vestibulolingual dimensions of the maxillary first molars, but they were with weak degree of significance (
We found statistically significant differences in the coronal height upper first molars and second right molars between the two sexes in favor of males again. The right showed moderate degree of significance (0.01>
Statistically significant differences in the mesiodistal dimensions of the mandibular first molars were found between the two sexes in favor of males again. The degree of significance was weak in the right (p<0.05) and moderate in the left ones (0.01>
Vestibulolingual dimensions of the mandibular molars showed statistically significant higher values in males compared to females with high degree of significance in the first (
Similar statistically significant differences were found in the coronal height of the lower molars in favor of males again. Both left and right molars showed moderate degree of significance (0.01>
Comparison between mesiodistal dimensions of maxillary molars in Bulgarian males and females
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M16MD | 121 | 10.70 | 0.67 | 0.10 | M16MD | 111 | 9.95 | 0.62 | 0.09 | <0.001 |
M17MD | 121 | 10.00 | 0.53 | 0.08 | M17MD | 111 | 9.56 | 1.48 | 0.23 | 0.070 |
M26MD | 121 | 10.58 | 0.82 | 0.12 | M26MD | 111 | 10.00 | 0.65 | 0.10 | <0.001 |
M27MD | 121 | 9.98 | 0.51 | 0.08 | M27MD | 111 | 9.77 | 0.64 | 0.10 | 0.100 |
Comparison between vestibulolingual dimensions of maxillary molars in Bulgarian males and females
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M16VL | 121 | 10.84 | 0.53 | 0.08 | M16VL | 111 | 10.53 | 0.59 | 0.09 | 0.015 |
M17VL | 121 | 10.47 | 0.55 | 0.08 | M17VL | 111 | 10.23 | 0.57 | 0.09 | 0.058 |
M26VL | 121 | 10.84 | 0.53 | 0.08 | M26VL | 111 | 10.56 | 0.59 | 0.09 | 0.024 |
M27VL | 43 | 10.35 | 0.53 | 0.08 | M27VL | 111 | 10.26 | 0.58 | 0.09 | 0.440 |
Comparison between coronal height of maxillary molars in Bulgarian males and females
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M16H | 121 | 6.19 | 0.55 | 0.08 | M16H | 111 | 5.81 | 0.55 | 0.08 | 0.002 |
M17H | 121 | 6.12 | 0.50 | 0.08 | M17H | 111 | 5.74 | 0.49 | 0.08 | <0.001 |
M26H | 121 | 6.16 | 0.75 | 0.11 | M26H | 111 | 5.81 | 0.59 | 0.09 | 0.019 |
M27H | 121 | 5.95 | 0.62 | 0.09 | M27H | 111 | 5.72 | 0.55 | 0.08 | 0.068 |
Comparison between mesiodistal dimensions of mandibular molars in Bulgarian males and females
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M36MD | 121 | 10.79 | 0.56 | 0.09 | M36MD | 111 | 10.42 | 0.85 | 0.13 | 0.019 |
M37MD | 121 | 10.05 | 0.62 | 0.09 | M37MD | 111 | 10.02 | 0.56 | 0.08 | 0.855 |
M46MD | 121 | 10.77 | 0.57 | 0.09 | M46MD | 111 | 10.36 | 0.76 | 0.12 | 0.006 |
M47MD | 121 | 10.07 | 0.46 | 0.07 | M47MD | 111 | 10.00 | 0.53 | 0.08 | 0.517 |
Comparison between vestibulolingual dimensions of mandibular molars in Bulgarian males and females
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M36VL | 121 | 10.65 | 0.72 | 0.11 | M36VL | 111 | 10.05 | 0.53 | 0.08 | <0.001 |
M37VL | 121 | 10.28 | 0.59 | 0.09 | M37VL | 111 | 9.98 | 0.46 | 0.07 | 0.010 |
M46VL | 121 | 10.67 | 0.68 | 0.10 | M46VL | 111 | 10.05 | 0.49 | 0.08 | <0.001 |
M47VL | 121 | 10.26 | 0.54 | 0.08 | M47VL | 111 | 10.00 | 0.49 | 0.07 | 0.023 |
Comparison between coronal height of mandibular molars in Bulgarian males and females
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M36H | 121 | 6.28 | 0.63 | 0.10 | M36H | 111 | 5.91 | 0.53 | 0.08 | 0.004 |
M37H | 121 | 6.19 | 0.59 | 0.09 | M37H | 111 | 5.84 | 0.53 | 0.08 | 0.005 |
M46H | 121 | 6.23 | 0.61 | 0.09 | M46H | 111 | 5.83 | 0.58 | 0.09 | 0.003 |
M47H | 121 | 6.12 | 0.63 | 0.10 | M47H | 111 | 5.72 | 0.59 | 0.09 | 0.003 |
Our results showed sexual dimorphism in all of the dimensions of the first molars and in some of them of the second ones. The mean values were statistically higher in males than in females. They are consistent with the results found by Ditch and Rose[
[(Xm/Xf)-1] ×100
where Xm is the mean value of the dental size in males and Xf - in females.[
In the present study, we found statistically significant differences also in the mesiodistal and vestibulolingual dimensions of the upper and lower first molars. There were no statistically significant differences in the mesiodistal dimensions of the second molars while in the vestibulolingual dimensions there were statistically significant differences in the lower ones and only a tendency in the upper right ones. The mean values in males were again higher compared to females. The reasons for the bigger odontometric dimensions in male molars are probably the differences in the differentiation of the dentition in males and females. According to Schwartz and Dean[
Our results show that the mesiodistal dimensions of the maxillary first molars have the highest degree of sexual dimorphism (7.54%) with statistical significance of high level (
The present study showed bilateral asymmetry only in the coronal height of the maxillary second molars. No significant differences were found in the other dimensions between left and right molars, indicating almost symmetric dimensions. This finding is in agreement with studies done by Preeti et al.[
The fact that in different populations different maxillary teeth show sexual dimorphism proves that the odontometric dimensions are population specific, which defines the need of data for each population. Since there are currently very few studies of sex estimation using odontometric data in Bulgarians, the present study makes a significant contribution to the development of the standards of sex assessment in this population.
In some studies, mesiodistal dimensions show higher degree of sexual dimorphism, in others vestibulolingual dimensions show higher degree of sexual dimorphism. For these reasons, it is recommended that we should measure all odontometric dimensions.
Sexual dimorphism in tooth size and the accuracy of odontometric sex prediction is found to vary in different population, and therefore, it is necessary to determine specific population values in order to make identification possible. The present study revealed the existence of sex differences in the mesiodistal, vestibulolingual dimensions and coronal height of first molars and vestibulolingual dimensions and coronal height of second molars in Bulgarians. Our results showed that mesiodistal dimensions of maxillary first molars exhibited the greatest sexual dimorphism. In accordance with similar odontometric studies, teeth may successfully differentiate both sexes and thus determine the need for further investigations in this field.