RT - Journal TY - JOUR A1 - Rajasekaran, Subhathira A1 - Bhat, Sham A1 - Bhat, Vidya T1 - Comparative reliability of cheiloscopy and palatoscopy in identification and gender determination among 5–14-year-old children: An In vivo study YR - 2021/1/1 JF - International Journal of Forensic Odontology JO - Int J Forensic Odontol SP - 43 OP - 50 VO - 6 IS - 1 UL - https://www.ijofo.org/article.asp?issn=2542-5013;year=2021;volume=6;issue=1;spage=43;epage=50;aulast=Rajasekaran;t=5 DO - 10.4103/ijfo.ijfo_13_21 N2 - Background and Aim: The study of lip prints and palatal rugae patterns is considered to be distinct to every individual and consequently holds the potential for identification. Thus, the aim of this study is to ascertain the use of lip prints and palatal rugae pattern in identification and gender determination among 5–14-year-old children. Methods: A total of 92 children, 46 males and 46 females, were selected from the Outpatient Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Yenepoya Dental College, Mangalore. Thomas and Kotze classification were used to analyze the dental casts to study palatal rugae patterns. Suzuki and Tsuchihashi classification was used to analyze lip prints recorded using butter paper. Statistical Analysis Used: Independent t-test was used for estimating the total number of rugae and number of primary rugae. Chi-square test was used for determining the predominant shape, direction, and unification in palatal rugae and for the association of lip prints with gender determination in all the quadrants. Results: Type 1, 1', and 2 were observed in females more, whereas Type 3 and 4 were observed in males. The predominant shape of the rugae was wavy and curved among males and females. The incidence of forwardly directed and backwardly directed rugae was more in males and perpendicularly directed rugae were more in females. Conclusions: The present study proves that both cheiloscopy and palatoscopy have the potential to identify an individual; however, lip prints are said to be more reliable in identifying the sex of an individual as compared to palatal rugae patterns. ER -