Authors : C. Stavrianos, I. Ioannidou-Marathiotou, O. Pantelidou, N. Petalotis, E. Samara and D. Tatsis
Abstract: In this in vitro survey an examination of credibility of general and specific morphological characteristics of human palatal rugae was undertaken in order to be used at the process of identification or disassociation in Forensic Odontology. About 50 orthodontics’ cases were examined. The casts were collected before and after the orthodontic treatment which lasted from 18 months to 4 years. Then, the 50 after treatment casts were mixed among 100 other randomly selected casts. All the surfaces of the casts except for the one representing the palatal rugae were trimmed by an orthodontic trimmer. The 50 before treatment casts were given to 5 researchers and the last ones were asked to compare them with the 150 casts for possible similarities. The collection of data occurred by the form of percentage proportions of correct recognition and requisite time for compare and recognition. The 4 researchers identified the casts correctly at a percentage of 100% and the one combined correctly the 47 casts (94%), (non-statistic significant difference, t-test). It appears that the form of the palatal rugae is a rather distinctive attribute in order to be recognized between individual persons. It is concluded from this study that the general shape, size and other significant data are identified as unique and personalized forensic evidence of identification.
C. Stavrianos, I. Ioannidou-Marathiotou, O. Pantelidou, N. Petalotis, E. Samara and D. Tatsis, 2012. In vitro Examination of Credibility of General and Specific Morphological Characteristics of Human Palatal Rugae in the Process of Recognition/Identification or Disassociation. Research Journal of Medical Sciences, 6: 261-265.