Radiomorphometric analysis of mandibular symphysis and ramus heights on panoramic radiographs for sex determination in Surabaya, Indonesia

Abstract

Sex determination is a fundamental aspect of biological profile reconstruction in forensic identification. Previous studies recommended the mandible as a valuable indicator for this matter. This study aimed to evaluate mandibular morphometric parameters on panoramic radiographs using an open-source software for sex determination in Surabaya, Indonesia. This study analyzed 57 digital panoramic radiographs (22 males, 35 females; age range 18–40 years) from the Dental Hospital, Universitas Airlangga. Ten mandibular metrics were evaluated with ImageJ software and analyzed using discriminant function analysis (DFA) to identify sexually dimorphic variables. Among these, Symphysis Height (Sym) and Right Ramus Height (RaH_R) were the most reliable indicators. The discriminant function model achieved an overall correct classification of 85.96% (86.4% for males and 85.7% for females). Future studies with larger and more diverse samples, 3D imaging modalities, and advanced analytical methods, such as machine learning, are needed to strengthen forensic applicability and improve accuracy in human identification.

Keywords: Indonesians; legal identity; mandibular ramus; mandibular symphysis; morphometric analysis; sex determination