MC Supplement - 2012 ( 52 - 54 ) Mirza H. F.

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Original Article
GENDER DETERMINATION USING CANINE
MANDIBULAR INDEX, A NEW PERSPECTIVE
IN FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY

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FARHAT HUSSAIN MIRZA

M. MUSAAB SIDDIQUI
AKHTAR AMIN MEMON
M. YASIN BANDUKDA
SYEDA EZZ-E-RUKHSHAN ADIL
HUMAIRA AMIN

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Associate Professor and Head,

Department of Forensic
Medicine,
Dow Medical College,
Dow University of Health Sciences,
Karachi, Pakistan.
Postgraduate student,
Queen Mary University of London,
United Kingdom.
Medical student,
Dow Medical College,
Dow University of Health Sciences,
Karachi, Pakistan.
Medical student,
Dow Medical College,
Dow University of Health Sciences,
Karachi, Pakistan.
Medical student,
Dow Medical College,
Dow University of Health Sciences,
Karachi, Pakistan.
Medical student
Karachi Medical and Dental College,
University of Karachi, Karachi,
Pakistan.

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Corresponding AuthorCAPT DR FARHAT HUSSAIN MIRZA

Head, Department of Forensic Medicine
Dow University Of Health Sciences
Dow Medical College, Karachi.
Email- Captdrmirza@Hotmail.com
Permanent Address19-D, Mohammad Ali Housing Society,
Miran Mohammad Shah Road, Karachi
Mob- 03009230198

ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mandibular canine index
(MCI) in determination of sex. Possibly the dimorphism of the canines may be used as
a valid tool in the forensic and legal identification of an individual. This study comprised
of 89 individuals and 77 cases were enrolled in the study from Pakistan (39 males, 38
females) and 12 from UK (8 males and 4 females). Alginate impressions of mandibular
arch were also made and the parameters considered were canine width,
intercanine distance and mandibular canine index.
It was seen that a definite statistically significant sexual dimorphism exists in mandibular
canines. With standard MCI, it was possible to detect sex in the sample studied to an
extent of about 76%. Hence it is considered as a quick, easy and reproducible method
for determining the sex of an individual.
Key Words : Mandibular canine width, Canine index, Intercanine distance, Sex determination.
INTRODUCTION:
Identification of skeletal remains has great importance in the field of forensic medicine1 .
Various methods have been devised to assist the forensic experts in determining the
gender of the deceased. Anatomical structures including skull, teeth and pelvic girdle have
been implicated time and again by the forensic anthropologists to conclude the gender
of skeletal remains2 .
Teeth measurements are significantly authentic tool in determination of gender3 especially
in cases where secondary sexual characteristics have either not developed or where
certain body parts, otherwise useful to determine the gender, were missing. Teeth,
especially the canines, are the hardest and chemically most stable tissues. They are
present even in severely decomposed bodies making them very important for identification.
The size of the teeth is of great importance, to establish sexual dimorphism. Out of the
two proportions, width and length, the former is considered to be more important4,5,6.
A study from Sweden employed odontometrics to analyze the gender differences. In this
study, Lund et al reported males to have larger mesio-distal, bucco-lingual, mesiobuccaldistolingual and distobuccal-mesiolingual diameters7. Another study from Turkey also
reported significant gender differences using diagonal teeth measurements, where males
were found to have greater diagonal measurements8.
Rao et al in 1989 conducted a preliminary study in India that brought about a new
advancement in the forensic anthropology6 . They introduced mandibular canine index
(MCI) as a measure for gender ascertainment. It was a very significant as well as a simple
and economical method and has been further worked upon in several studies.
Sexual dimorphism refers to the differences in size, stature and appearance between male
and female. This can be applied to dental identification also because no two mouths are
alike. Various features like tooth morphology and crown size are characteristic for males
and females. However, tooth morphology is also known to be influenced by cultural,

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MC Supplement - 2012 ( 52 - 54 ) Mirza H. F. et al

environmental, and racial factors9. Variation in tooth form can be

studied by measurement of enamel height, dentine height, pulp
height and pulp width which exhibit sexual dimorphism.
Sexual dimorphism by evaluation of MCI has been studied in
Pakistan previously. Mughal et al determined gender in about 76%
cases using MCI10. However, the purpose of our study was to
access MCI in two different populations, to determine the accuracy
with which the gender can be determined and to comparatively
determine a possible MCI value that can be kept as standard for
both the populations.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The study was conducted at Department of Forensic Medicine,
Dow Medical College, Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan and
Department of Dentistry, Queen Mary University, London, UK.
This was a cross-sectional comparative study extending over a
period of 1 year from January 1st, 2011 to December 31st, 2011.
Out of a total of 89, 77 cases were enrolled in the study from
Pakistan (39 males, 38 females) and 12 from UK (8 males and 4
females).
Data Collection: Data was collected using a divider. All the
measurements were intra-oral. The width of mandibular canines
was taken as the greatest mesiodistal width between the contact
points of the teeth on either side of the jaw. The following
measurements were taken in all casts.
1. The greatest mesiodistal width of the mandibular canine (both
on the right and left sides).
2. The intercanine distance (i.e. the distance between the tips
of both canines in the lower jaw).
The following parameters were determined on study casts in
males and females:
1. Intercanine distance
2. Right mandibular canine width
3. Left mandibular canine width
4. Mandibular canine index
Mandibular canine Index (MCI) was then evaluated by the formula:
MCI = Mesiodistal width of mandibular canine /Mandibular
intercanine distance
The standard value of the mandibular canine index is applied as
a cut-off score to distinguish males and females. It is obtained by
the formula:
Standard MCI = [(Mean male MCI - SD) + (Mean female MCI
+SD)] / 2
The MCI calculated in individual was related to standard MCI
obtained by the above-mentioned formula.
Analysis of Data: Statistical data was analyzed using Statistical
Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. The frequency and
percentages were calculated for categorical variable that included
gender.
The mean + SD was calculated for canine width, intercanine
distance and mandibular canine index. P-values were calculated
using Pearson Chi Square Test.

2.9289 0.47699 cm [p=0.000]. Thus, females were found to

have a greater mean inter-canine width than males.
Furthermore, mean canine mandibular index was found be greater
in males i.e. 0.295 0.020932 cm while in females, it was found
to be 0.2208 0.03810 cm [p=0.000].
Hence, the standard MCI in our Pakistani population was found
to be 0.266484 cm, which gets rounded off to 0.2665 cm. With
the help of this standard MCI, we predicted gender correctly in
94.87% males and 89.47% of females.
United Kingdom: The standard MCI in our cases from UK was
found to be 0.2705545 cm, which gets rounded off to 0.2706 cm.
Keeping this MCI in mind, we correctly predicted the gender in
100% males and 100% females.
Comparative Analysis: The standard MCI after a comparative
analysis of both the populations was concluded to be 0.26868 cm,
which gets rounded off to 0.2687 cm. In accordance with this
standard MCI, gender was correctly determined in 95.74% males
and 90.47% females.

RESULTS:
Pakistan:
The mean canine width among the 39 males was found to be
0.7192 0.06242 cm. While among 38 females, the mean canine
width was found to be 0.6329 0.06182 cm [p=0.000].
The mean inter-canine width among the males was found to be
2.4449 0.23446 cm. However in females, it was found to be

DISCUSSION:
Our study reported a very significant rate of sexual dimorphism
in mandibular canines, about 90% in females and 96% in males.
It is much more significant than the study conducted previously
in Pakistan, reporting sexual dimorphism in only about 76%.
Padmavati et al conducted a study in Vikarabad, India on age
group 19-25 years where about 73.3% of the males and 80%

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MC Supplement - 2012 ( 52 - 54 ) Mirza H. F. et al

females were correctly detected using mandibular canine indices11.

Acharya et al reported a low 51% accuracy rate of this method
in Karnataka, India12. A study from Uttar Pradesh, India carried
on 100 males and 100 females belonging to age group 17-25
reported 70% efficiency of MCI in determining gender13, while
similar study conducted in Devangere, India detected 83% males
and 81% females14. Thus, our study has reported in relation the
most accurate MCI values with significant results.
Teeth measurements provide a useful adjunct in sex determination
in forensic odontology and paleontology. Because of their unique
structure and composition, teeth are the last structures to degenerate
post-mortem. Thus, they can assist in forensic science to determine
sex, age and race even years after death. Teeth develop from a
complex series of molecular interactions. Genes for the development
of teeth are located on the 22 pair of autosomes and as well as
the sex chromosomes15. Development of permanent canines is
completed in early adolescence. Canines are used in human being
to assist mastication and cut fibers in food product. Canines have
the ability to resist post-mortem which has made them valuable
in identification of sex. Canines are marker of aggression, a more
characteristic attribute in males. Thus, sexual dimorphism in canines
as seen among males and females and as mentioned from above
studies is not merely by chance but it is because of the functional
differences between both genders16. Kumar et al verified that
inter-canine distance and mandibular canine index are useful
measurements in distinguishing between sexes. Kaushal et al conducted
a study among 60 college students in Patiala and mentioned that
differences may also exist between corresponding canines. He
reported that left mandibular canine exhibited greater sexual
dimorphism then the right mandibular canine17. He also mentioned
that gender is most likely to be male when the width of the canine
is greater than 7mm17. Furthermore, Sherfudhin et al also indicated
significant dimorphism in maxillary canine as well18.
Regardless of the above results provided by the above mentioned
studies some limitations also occur. Muller et al conducted a
study in which tooth occlusion was taken into consideration. The
results were compared with standard MCI19. Acharya et al also
explained the reason which can diminish the ability of MCI in sex
determination is attributed to it being a ratio (MD dimension of
canine and inter-canine arch width) rather than an absolute
measurement20. In our study, both these parameters were measured
and compared in males and females and the differences were found
to be statistically significant.
Despite the above mentioned limitations, MCI is still a simple,
swift and inexpensive method for determination of gender and has
provided investigators with significant results21. Thus, allowing it
to be used worldwide in forensic medicine.

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