Determination of Gender using Enamel, Dentin and Pulp of Primary Teeth- a Comparative Study - Abstract
Objective: To determine gender using enamel and dentin and compare it with that of the pulp of primary teeth.
Materials and method: Twenty freshly extracted caries free primary teeth were collected from children. The gender of the patient was recorded, followed by coding and double coding of the samples in a double blind manner. The teeth were cleaned and decoronated. Pulp tissue from the crown portions were removed and stored in normal saline. The enamel and dentin samples were then obtained by removing dentin from enamel, using a straight diamond dental bur of size 008. The extracted enamel, dentin and pulp samples were stored in sterile containers, coded and immediately carried to the laboratory for extraction and quantification of DNA from samples of enamel, dentin and pulp tissue. The DNA was subjected to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis for gender determination. Data obtained was decoded and compared with actual gender of the child. Data was tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis.
Results: Gender was successfully determined from sixteen enamel samples and from twenty samples of dentin and pulp. Gender determined from enamel was found to be 20% successful and that from dentin and pulp was 100% successful, which was highly significant.
Conclusion: In comparison to enamel of primary teeth, dentin and pulp were more reliable in determination of gender of an individual.