Tooth crown mesiodistal measurements for the determination of sexual dimorphism across a range of populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether the tooth crown sexual dimorphism pattern reported in previous small studies can be generalized for a broader range of populations.

Literature review: A systematic literature review was performed by two independent examiners. The following databases were searched from October 2015 to July 2016: PubMed, Scopus, Lilacs, ScienceDirect, Medline, and Cochrane Reviews. No language restrictions were applied to the search.

Selection criteria: The inclusion criteria comprised original studies investigating mesiodistal permanent teeth that reported the sample population and standard deviation. All right-sided teeth, except the third molars, were measured and separated by sex in the included studies. Thirty-one studies were included in the quantitative data synthesis and meta-analysis. Studies of non-human teeth, skeletal remains, or an overly specific study population were excluded.

Main results: Thirty-one trials, involving 6481 participants, provided data for the meta-analysis of teeth. Sexual dimorphism in mesiodistal crowns was found in all teeth across a range of populations, principally in lower canines (5.73%) and maxillary canines (4.72%), followed by the lower second molars (3.54%) and upper second molars(3.20%), and finally in the lower first molars(3.14%) and upper first molars(2.64%).

Conclusions: A small degree of sexual dimorphism exists in all human teeth. Second molars and canines show the greatest sexual dimorphism. Additionally, smaller racial differences are present in mesiodistal crowns among groups living in different geographic areas; however, it is not possible to establish a single value applicable for all populations.