Sex determination in Romanian mandible using discriminant function analysis: Comparative results of a time-efficient method

Abstract

In a forensic anthropology context, the mandible represents a reliable skeletal element with increased resistance to environmental factors. Sexual dimorphism assessment is most accurately obtained on population-specific computed discriminant functions. A previous study on 100 Romanian population mandibles has provided a discriminant function with an accuracy of 86% based on 7 measurements. The main purpose of the present study is to evaluate whether or not an increase in the sample number (200 mandibles) can produce a different discriminant function that will allow similar accuracy rates, but with fewer measurements. We have used 3 measurements (chin height, bigonial width and bicondylar breadth) that provided a discriminant function with an overall accuracy of determination of 84%, equal for male and female groups. The most dimorphic singular measurement was bigonial width, which provided a discriminant function with 80.5% accuracy when used alone. We concluded that a larger study sample allows similar accuracies of sex determination with fewer measurements, which in turn can improve the assessment of sexual dimorphism by using a time-efficient method.

Assessment of sexual dimorphism using digital orthopantomographs in South Indians

“…[26] reported an accuracy of 80.5% with BGW in the Romanian population, which was higher than the present study (62%). Sharma et al .…”

“…In agreement with previous studies,[233435] an overall accuracy of 75.8% was achieved using 10 variables in the present study, which was lower compared to previous studies[2111719242636] conducted with different numbers of variables in different populations.…”

Is there enough evidence so that mandible can be used as a tool for sex dimorphism? A systematic review

“…Marinescu et al . [29] also concluded similar results in Romanian population with males showing higher values, i.e., 120 mm and 113.1 mm for females. Similarly, Vinay et al .…”

“…[2] and 32.1 mm and 29.4 mm in the study conducted by Marinescu et al . [29] in Romanian population for males and females respectively.…”

“…[45678910111213141516171819] And synopsis of skeletal parameters of morphometric studies on dry mandible in sex dimorphism was presented in Table 2. [12202122232425262728293031323334353637]…”