Palatoscopy/Rugoscopy: An adjunct to Forensic Odontology

Abstract

Palatoscopy is the study of palatal rugae pattern and it can be used to establish the identity of a person. The rugae are unique internal structures protected by the lips, buccal pad of fat and teeth that resist decomposition, thus serving an important role in forensic identification. The appearance of palatal rugae is constant, as they do not demonstrate changes after the completion of growth of the individual, thus increasing its utility as a personal identification tool. The aim and objectives of this reviews is to analyse the prevalence of different palatal rugae patterns in different , populations. In most studies it was found that mean rugae number in females was slightly more than males. The most prevalent forms in both genders were curved type followed by wavy, straight and diverging types. Straight and curved forms were significantly more in numbers in females than males. It has been concluded in this review that rugae pattern may be used to determine gender as well as personal identification. This comprehensive review also supported that rugae can be used as a reliable guide in forensic identification