Modern humans sex estimation through dental tissue patterns of maxillary canines

Abstract

ObjectivesDental tissue proportions of human permanent canines is one of only a few sexually dimorphic features that is present in childhood and maintained in adults, offering the opportunity for this to be used in sex determination. This study assesses dental tissue volumes and surface areas of maxillary permanent canines in a sample of known sex to provide new data and to explore the potential of these variables as reliable sexual estimators. Materials and methodsThe teeth studied here derive from 56 individuals (27 females and 29 males) of known sex and age, and of different geographic origins. The teeth were scanned and three-dimensional (3D) measurements (volumes and surface areas) were obtained. In addition, a discriminant function analysis was applied. ResultsThe results presented here concur with those previously published in relation to both size and dental tissue patterns. Male maxillary canines have a greater dentine component, whereas female enamel is thicker, leading to a difference in dental size in favor of males. Discriminant functions were calculated using these histological variables successfully identifying sex in between 87.5% and 93.75% of the known-sex hold-out sample, with 92.3% correctly assigned when all functions were applied together. DiscussionThe present study supports that methods for sex determination based on dental tissue measurements can achieve high allocation accuracies, being especially useful in the case of subadults or when no other appropriate method is available. INTRODUCTIONSexual variation in the human skeleton is of great concern for anthropologists. Sexual dimorphism, the differences in size and form between males and females of the same species, is also observed in dentition (

Alterações Microestruturais Do Esmalte Dentário Submetidos a Imersões Em Águas Saborizadas Ácidas

“…Although the degree ranged according to the studied population, previous studies have demonstrated the presence of sexual dimorphism within the human dentition, in which males have larger teeth than females (ZORBA et al, 2011;SABÓIA et al, 2013, PECKMANN et al, 2015GARCÍA-CAMPOS et al, 2018).…”

Dimorphism in dental tissues: Sex differences in archaeological individuals for multiple tooth types

“…The analysis of other dental measurements, such as tissue volumes, has been less common than traditional crown diameters, but dental tissue proportions, tissue volumes, and surface areas have also been identified as being sexually dimorphic (Feeney et al, 2010; García‐Campos, Martinón‐Torres, Martínez de Pinillos, et al, 2018; García‐Campos, Martinón‐Torres, Martín‐Francés, et al, 2018; Harris & Hicks, 1998; Kazzazi & Kranioti, 2017; Saunders, Chan, Kahlon, Kluge, & FitzGerald, 2007; Schwartz & Dean, 2005; Sorenti, Martinón‐Torres, Martín‐Francés, & Perea‐Pérez, 2019; Stroud, Buschang, & Goaz, 1994; Tardivo et al, 2011; Tardivo et al, 2015; Zilberman & Smith, 2001). Despite being used infrequently, the use of dental tissue volumes and surface areas has been recommended for sex determination (García‐Campos, Martinón‐Torres, Martín‐Francés, et al, 2018).…”

“…Some evidence exists for sexual dimorphism in enamel thickness (García‐Campos, Martinón‐Torres, Martínez de Pinillos, et al, 2018; García‐Campos, Martinón‐Torres, Martín‐Francés, et al, 2018; Hall, Lindauer, Tufekci, & Shroff, 2007; Sorenti et al, 2019). Overall tooth size, and the sizes of the crown and the root have been found to be larger in males.…”

“…Overall tooth size, and the sizes of the crown and the root have been found to be larger in males. Enamel volume has been found to be larger in females, and consequently it is thought that the enamel does not significantly contribute to overall dental dimorphism (a; Feeney et al, 2010; García‐Campos, Martinón‐Torres, Martínez de Pinillos, et al, 2018; Harris & Hicks, 1998; Stroud et al, 1994). Most studies have focused largely on the posterior dentition although recent studies have analyzed canine sexual dimorphism (García‐Campos, Martinón‐Torres, Martínez de Pinillos, et al, 2018; García‐Campos, Martinón‐Torres, Martín‐Francés, et al, 2018).…”

Dimorphism in Dental Tissues: Sex differences in Archaeological Individuals for Multiple Tooth Types

“…Overall tooth size, and the sizes of the crown and the root have been found to be larger in males. Enamel volume has been found to be larger in females, and consequently it is thought that the enamel does not significantly contribute to overall dental dimorphism (Stroud et al, 1994; Harris and Hicks, 1998; Feeney et al, 2010; García-Campos et al, 2018b; a). Most studies have focused largely on the posterior dentition although recent studies have analysed canine sexual dimorphism (García-Campos et al, 2018a; b).…”