Palatal Rugoscopy in Egyptian and Libyan Populations

Use of palatal rugae in forensic medicine has been applied due to its individual fingerprint‐like uniqueness, stability, existence of interracial differences, and their low utilization coasts. Palatoscopy (palatal rugoscopy) has shown population‐specific tendencies so facilitating population identification which may be required post‐disasters, in edentulous persons, and in burned bodies or bodies in severe decomposition. Impressions of the anterior palate where taken via maxillary palatal casts (calcorrugoscopy) in 300 and 210 randomly selected Egyptians and Libyans of both sexes respectively. The most frequent shape of the palate was the pointed one in Libyans and the arch form in Egyptians. Both populations showed no symmetry and no sex difference between right and left sides of the palate. Anterior direction of the main rugae, posterior forking of the median raphe, the round form of the incisive papilla, and the presence of many main rugae at the expense of the secondary ones were also common in both populations. Forking of the main rugae was negatively associated with islands suggesting that they measure different degrees of the same phenomenon. Strength between main and secondary rugae showed significant positive association in Egyptians and inverse one in Libyans. palatal rugoscopy of Egyptians and Libyans were compared with other populations.