ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RUGOSCOPY AND CHEILOSCOPY IN PEDIATRIC POPULATION: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN CENTRAL INDIA

Introduction: Rugoscopy is the examination of palatal rugae patterns, whereas cheiloscopy is the forensic investigation technique for examining lip impressions. The palatine rugae and lip impressions are distinguishing anatomical characteristics that are specific to every person and can be utilised effectively for human identification. Aim: The purpose of this investigation is to establish a relationship between rugoscopic and cheiloscopic patterns in minors. Materials and methods: A descriptive involving 100 subjects aged 5 to 15 years was conducted. Rugae patterns and lip impressions were analysed and recorded. The Lysell classification (1955) and the Thomas and Kotze classification (1983) evaluate rugoscopic patterns based on their length and their shape and cohesion, respectively. Suzuki and Tsuchihashi classification was used to assess cheiloscopic patterns. The research was conducted for one month, and SPSS version 23.0 was used for analysis. Results: In both sexes, the predominant palatal rugae patterns were undulating, followed by curved, and then straight. Males had Type V dominant, followed by Type IV, while females had Type I' dominant, followed by Type I. Conclusion: Cheiloscopy is a more reliable tool than rugoscopy for human identification in the field of forensic science, as shown by our study's conclusion that rugoscopy yielded similar results but cheiloscopy yielded distinct results.