Title
Identification of Euro-Americans, Afro-Americans, and Amerindians from palatal dimensions
Author(s)
Byers S.N., Churchill S.E., Curran B.
Published
1997
Publisher
Journal of Forensic Sciences
Abstract
Seven measurements were taken on 414 Euro-American, Afro-American, and Amerindian palates in an attempt to evaluate differences in dental arcade shape among these three groups. Width measurements across the palate at the first incisor, canine, second premolar, and second molar were taken directly on the dental arcade. The distances along the sagittal plane from the front of the palate to the level of these teeth were calculated from measurements taken between the fight central incisor and the canine, second premolar and second molar. Discriminant functions computed from the measurements properly classified palates by group 66.0% of the time if sex is unknown. If sex is known to be male, other functions properly classified 65.7% of the sample; for sex known to be female 72.0% correct classification was achieved. Because these percentage are more than twice that expected from probability theory alone, it is concluded that the seven measurements are useful in determining ethnic group.
Keywords
american indian; article; caucasian; controlled study; ethnic group; forensic identification; human; human tissue; negro; palate; physical anthropology; priority journal; sex difference; African Americans; Cuspid; European Continental Ancestry Group; Female; Forensic Anthropology; Forensic Dentistry; Humans; Incisor; Indians, North American; Male; Models, Statistical; Molar; Multivariate Analysis; Palate; Paleodontology; Probability; Sex Characteristics

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PUB12949