Comparison of two methods of palatal rugoscopy in human identification.

Abstract

The Forensic Dentistry is being increasingly requested for obtaining data that allows human identification. Among many of its tools, the analysis of the palatal rugae stands out as an effective device for the identification, but more studies are needed to allow an establishment of standards that increases the success rate. So, this study had the main goal to ascertain if there is a difference between choosing the execution of the rugoscopy by visual comparison or by software. This way, it started from a sample of 30 individuals (n=30), in which all of them had their palates photographed, a plaster model from the upper arch with the rugae highlighted with graphite obtained, and finally a photograph of each plaster model made. Two analysis have been done, being the first one a comparison of the photographs of the models and the intraoral ones, on a software by overlapping them, and the second was a comparison between the plaster models and the intraoral photographs, visually. With four evaluators in each analysis, the results from the compatibility among model-photo and photo-photo were registered. In the statistical analysis of this results, the t student t (P=0,053) and the Kruskal-Wallis (P=0,990) tests were performed, and they demonstrated the non-existence of significant difference between the results of the two analysis, nor variance statistically significant between the groups. Being so, it can be said that the software could be simultaneously used with a visual analysis.