The document summarizes a study on palatal rugae patterns in 1000 subjects in Lucknow, India. The key findings are: 1. Palatal rugae patterns were compared between males and females of different age groups. No significant differences were found in the number, size, or common shapes of rugae between genders. 2. The average number of rugae was highest in subjects ages 3-5 years and lowest in those over 51. Shape did not change with age, while size increased slightly until ages 13-30. 3. Comparisons of rugae patterns in twins, siblings, and parents revealed no familial similarities, suggesting rugae features are not inherited. 4. The

2. ABOUT THE JOURNAL
 Journal of Indian Academy
Of
Oral Medicine and Radiology
 July-September 2011; 23(3)
 Page - 173-178
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3. AUTHORS:
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4. Some key words
Palatal rugae Ridges on anterior part of palatal mucosa, on
each side of the mid palatine raphe and behind
the incisive papilla.
Rugoscopy/ palatoscopy Study of palatal rugae  in order to establish
a person’s identity.
Personal
identification
The distinct personality of an individual
regarded as a persisting entity is called as
personal identity.
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Incisive papilla
Palatal rugae
Mid palatine raphe

5. ABSTRACT
 Introduction –
Rugae are protected from trauma as they are insulated from
heat by tongue + buccal pad of fat, unlike fingerprints or lip
prints that can be destroyed.
 Aims & objectives –
1. To compare rugae patterns in males & females, of different
age groups of Luckhnow city, including twins, siblings &
their parents.
2. Effects of various dental t/t modalities on rugae pattern
were also assessed.
3. The uniqueness of palatal rugae as an aid for personal
identification was the sole objective of this study.
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6. ABSTRACT
 Materials & methods –
I. A total of 1000 subjects were enrolled in the study & divided
into 5 groups according to their age.
II. Number, size & shape of rugae were recorded  & compared
according to Kapali et al.
 Conclusion –
1. No 2 palates are alike in their configuration.
2. Once formed they do not undergo any changes except in length
due to normal growth, remaining in the same position throughout
a person’s entire life.
3. Thus palatal rugae appear to possess the features of an ideal
forensic identification parameter, i.e. uniqueness, postmortem
resistance and stability, provided antemortem record exists.
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7. INTRODUCTION
 Through the specialty of forensic odontology, dentists
play a small but significant role in identification of the
victims of crime and disaster through dental records.
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8. Bitemarks Dental photographsDental radiographs
Rugoscopy/ palatoscopyCheiloscopy
The various identification methods employed in forensic odontology include
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9.  Palatal rugae were first described by  Winslow in
1753.
 Brinon (1983)
divided palatal rugae into 2 groups
 So, Palatoscopy can be of special interest in those cases
where there are no fingers to be studied (burned bodies
or bodies in severe decomposition).
INTRODUCTION
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Fundamental
Specific
in a similar
way to that
done with
fingerprints
Hence  dactiloscopy & palatoscopy were united as similar
methods based on the same scientific principles and are
sometimes complementary.

10. AIMS & OBJECTIVES
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Identify the
patterns of
palatal rugae
(i.e. number,
size and
shape) in
individuals of
Luckhnow
population.
To compare
the rugae
patterns in
males and
females of
different age
groups.
To assess 
Similarity in
rugae
patterns in
twins, siblings
and their
parents.
The
uniqueness of
palatal rugae
as an aid for
personal
identification
was the sole
objective of
this study.

11. MATERIALS & METHODS
The study population was
selected from??
the patients attending the OPD
of Oral Medicine and Radiology
and various schools of Luckhnow
city.
No of subjects? A total number of 1000 subjects
were enrolled and divided into
five groups according to their
age.
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MATERIALS & METHODS

12.  Each of the 5 groups consisted of 200 individuals
of whom
100 were males 100 were females
 Selection criteria were  the subjects
who were
physically healthy well oriented in time,
space and as a person.
HOW THE 1000 SUBJECTS WERE DIVIDED INTO 5 GROUPS ???
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13.  The study subjects were made to sit
in the dental chair
 Clinically examined under artificial
illumination
 Maxillary impression of the subject
was taken using an irreversible
hydrocolloid (alginate) in a
perforated impression tray
 Impression was washed under
running tap water
 Casts obtained using high-strength
plaster.
 All instructions by the
manufacturers, such as
water/powder ratios, were followed.
METHODOLOGY
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14. Palatal rugae as seen on the cast
(calcorrugoscopy of the palatal
rugae)
 Casts were sterilized using cold
sterilization method trimmed in the
cast trimmer dried up
 Rugae patterns were delineated using
sharp graphite pencil under adequate
light +magnification
 & then analyzed macroscopically
(calcorrugoscopy)
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15. Method of identification
 No of rugae on left & right side
of mid palatine raphe was
recorded.
 Size of each ruga (singular of rugae)
 measured using a pointed
divider and a scale by measuring
the length from one end to the
other end of the rugae 
recorded in the study stable
 Rugae < 3 mm were ignored
 Shapes of rugae were analyzed
according to the classification
given by Kapali et al (1997).
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16. Classification
of rugae
Shape
Curved type simple crescent shape
curved gently.
Wavy type serpentine
Straight Ran directly from their origin to termination in a straight line
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17. Classification of rugae Shape
Circular type definite continuous ring formation
Unification type in which two rugae began from the same origin
Non-specific type did not fall in any of the 6 types
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A. but immediately diverged unification diverging
B. which converged unification converging.

18. RESULTS
I. Comparison in Total No. of Rugae in Males and Females
 Total 8695 palatal rugae  observed in 1000 subjects
(almost equally divided on left and right side of mid palatine raphe)
 Average no. of rugae in each individual was  8.7 (i.e. 4 to 5 rugae on each side of the
palate)
 In 500 females total no of 4265 rugae were identified  mean value in each female
8.53 ± 1.66 (mean ± SD)
 In 500 males  total no. of 4430 rugae were observed  mean value 8.86 ± 1.91 (mean ±
SD)
 Statistically, no significant differences were observed in the no. of rugae among
males and females.
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19. II. Comparison in Different Shapes of Rugae in Males
and Females
 Out of the total 8695 rugae found in 1000 individuals,
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20.  In males as well as females:
1. Mean proportion of curve type of rugae was observed to be maximum (mean value
in males 33.10 %, while in females 31.82%)
2. Wave type (mean value in males 28.71% and in females 26.19%)
3. Straight type (mean value in males 25.08% and in females 24.80%).
4. Unification converging (mean value in males 4.94% and in females 7.53%) and
unification diverging type (mean value in males 4.64% and in females 4.60%) had a
very low proportion,
5. While circular (mean value in males 2.11% and in females 2.88%) and nonspecific
(mean value in males 1.41% and in females 2.17%) shapes were found to be negligible.
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21. Similar results were given by
 Kapali et al (1997);6
 Fahmi et al (2001);8
 Nayak et al (2007);9
 Venegas et al (2009)10 &
 Sharma et al (2009).11
 Fahmi et al (2001)8 concluded that females showed a
higher significance in the unification converging type, while
males had higher significance in the circular type of rugae.
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They concluded that
• most common shapes 
wavy & curve
• straight and circular
types  least common

22. III. Comparison in Size of Rugae (Length in mm) in Males and
Females
 Statistically, there were no significant difference in the
size of the palatal rugae between the two genders
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Average size of
palatal rugae
10.05 ± 1.51 mm
with no significant
difference at left and right
side of the palate or in
males and females.
Averagelength of
rugae in males
10.07 ± 1.60 Averagelength of
rugae in females
10.02 ± 1.42
(Mean ± SD).

23.  This finding was similar to the studies conducted
by Kapali et al (1997)6 and Fahmi et al (2001)8
who also concluded that:
1. average number as well as size of rugae
Did not show any significant differences in
males and females Or At right and left
side of the palate
in both the genders.
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24. 2. Shape of rugae on the left and right side of the mid
palatine raphe:
Left side
Proportion of unification
converging rugae was significantly
higher among females (136 i.e.
6.3%) > as compared to males (98
i.e. 4.5%)
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Left side
Proportion of curve rugae was
significantly higher among males
(694, i.e. 31.9%)> as compared
with females (619, i.e. 28.9%)

25.  Remaining shapes  straight, unification diverging, circular and
nonspecific did not show statistically significant difference
Right side Proportion of unification
converging rugae was higher
among females (167, i.e. 7.9%) as
compared with males (116, i.e.
5.1%)
Right side
Proportion of wave type of rugae
was significantly higher among
males (652, i.e. 28.9%) as
compared with females (526, i.e.
24.8%)
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26. IV. AGE-WISE COMPARISION OF RUGAE PATTERNS
Comparison in No. of Rugae in Different Age Groups
 Total no of rugae  maximum in 3 - 5 years age grp  i.e. 1860
with mean value 9.30 ± 1.57.
 While minimum in 51 and above age group i.e. 1525 with mean
value 7.63 ± 1.74.
 So  Mean number of rugae showed a slight decreasing trend
with increasing age.
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27. Comparing the shape of palatal rugae in various age groups
 Curve, wave and straight rugae were max in all the 5 age groups
followed by
 unification converging
then
 unification diverging
 Round and nonspecific shape of palatal rugae were found to be
negligible in all the 5 age groups.
 NOTE: so shape of palatal rugae does not change with age.
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28. Comparison in Size of Rugae in Various Age Groups
 Size of rugae is slightly ↑ up till the middle age group i.e. 13-30 years
there after
Remaining constant as growth ceases
 Statistically, no significant intergroup differences were observed in the
average length of rugae among various age groups of individuals.
 Thus, length neither ↑ nor ↓ with age, once the rugae are formed to its
full growth.
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29. V. Comparison of rugae patterns in siblings & twins and with
their parents
revealed no similarity of rugae patterns.
 This suggests that there is no evidence of rugae features inheritance.
 Similar results were given by Fahmi et al (2001)8 who reported that no two
palates are alike in their configuration.
 Even between twins, the patterns are not identical.
Rugae
pattern in
sibling
family
Rugae
pattern in
twins
family
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30. VI. Comparing the palatal rugae patterns before
and after various dental treatment modalities
no changes in the palatal
rugae pattern (in terms of
number, shape and size)
1. Removable prosthesis
2. Orthodontic t/t with
and without extraction
of teeth
3. Healing of any lesion/
pathology in the palatal
rugae area
Hence,
* Various dental t/t
modalities do not have any
effect on the palatal
rugae patterns.
+
* Rugae patterns remain
similar and can be easily
identified in an individual
even after any nonsurgical
dental t/t
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31.  Peavy et al (1963),12
 English et al (1988),13
 Bailey et al (1966)14
 Bansode et al (2009)15
 Ohtani et al (2008)16
studied the effects of
various orthodontic t/t with
and without extraction of
certain teeth on palatal
rugae
palatal rugae :
- Stable landmarks
- Unique to an individual
Identification could be
based upon their
comparison.
& supported the hypothesis
that
observed palatal rugae pattern in
edentulous cases who were both old
and new complete denture wearers.
Concluded that: accuracy of identification through
palatal rugae in denture wearers is close to 100%
and hence would be considered reliable in
edentulous cases as in dentate cases.
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32. DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION
 Forensic odontology  use of palatal rugae in postmortem
identification has gained prominence over several decades.
 Many studies have been carried out on rugae patterns and it is
an established fact that
no two palates are alike in their configuration
once formed, they do not undergo any changes except in length
due to normal growth
remaining in the same position throughout a person’s entire life.
 Thus, palatal rugae appear to possess the features of an ideal
forensic identification parameter, i.e. uniqueness, postmortem
resistance and stability.
 Forensic dental identification including identification through
palatal rugae depends largely on the availability of
antemortem records.
 .
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1. Dental casts
2. Intraoral photographs
3. Dental prosthesis

33.  In India, antemortem records are scanty & if
available are either incomplete or improper
because no private dentist maintains a record
 So, it is the responsibility of each dentist to
maintain dental records of their patients
for
noble social cause of identification in the
event of any mass disaster.

34. REFERENCES
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36. THANK
YOU!!
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