A Study of Palatal Rugae Patterns and Maxillary Inter-Canine Distance in a Jordanian Population Sample

The study of palatal rugae has an important role in establishing personal identity and facilitating population identification. The current work analyzed the pattern of palatal rugae among an adult Jordanian population and searched for any gender differences. A total of 100 random dental casts were included in this study. Number and pattern of palatal rugae regarding length, shape, direction, and unification of rugae were identified. In addition, measurement of maxillary intercanine widths (MIW) using digital Vernier caliper was done. Palatal rugae on the right side outnumbered those on the left side. Males had more rugae in general than females. The commonest rugae in both sexes were serpiginous. Primary and forward rugae showed the highest frequency. A diverging form of unification was more prevalent than a converging form. Apart from a total number of convergent, divergent and secondary rugae, the total number of other rugae differs significantly between males and females. The study showed characteristics of palatal rugae in a Jordanian population which could be gender specific, facilitating their identification. It revealed the presence of sexual dimorphism, and sex can be predicted using either logistic regression equation or CART model.