“SEX CHROMATIN IN DENTAL PULP AS AN INDICATOR IN GENDER IDENTITY”

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Identication means determination of individuality of a person. Identication is important for legal, humanitarian reasons, in solving criminal cases, problems of inheritance, funeral rites. The estimation of sex is one of the pillars of forensic identication. The tooth organ is the hardest organ in the human body, with a loose connective tissue of dental pulp situated within a rigid encasement of mineralized surrounding tissues. Sex can be determined by the study of X&Y chromosomes in the cells which are not undergoing active division. X chromatin in its inactivated form is present as a mass against the nuclear membrane in females is known as Barr body. Presence or absence of X chromosome can be studied from buccal smears, skin biopsy, blood, cartilage, hair root sheath, and tooth pulp. The present study was undertaken to identify and evaluate the presence of X chromatin in dental pulp as an indicator in gender identity. The study was performed on healthy premolars, from a total of Materials and Methods: 80 subjects inclusive of 40 teeth extracted from males and 40 teeth extracted from females after informed consent. The collected tooth specimens were divided in to two groups. Group I consisted of 20 teeth from males, 20 teeth from females. Group II consisted of 20 teeth from males, 20 teeth from females. Group I premolars were immediately preserved in 10% formalin solution for upto 7 days. Group II premolars were buried in mud at room temperature for 4 months. The dental pulp tissues were conventionally extirpated and stained with hematoxylin & eosin stain. All the blinded sections of the dental pulp were observed for X chromatin/Barr bodies systematically using an Olympus BX53 microscope with a 100x magnication. I Results: n group I, Dental pulp was positive for X chromatin in 100% females for up to 7days with 100% accuracy. In group II, Dental pulp was positive for X chromatin in 45% of females after 4 months with 45% accuracy. The accuracy of identifying X chromatin in dental pulp diminished over a period of time. Dental pulp was negative for X chromatin in teeth of 100% males both at 7days (Group I) & 4 months (Group II). The identication of X chromatin in dental pulp as a gender deter Conclusion: minant can be ascertained with high reliability within 7 days of time. Whereas the reliability of identifying X chromatin in dental pulp as a gender determinant decreased in the course of time. Consequently, we can recommend identication of X chromatin in dental pulp as an indicator in gender identity within a short period of time.