Can Dermatoglyphics Be Used as a Marker for Predicting Future Malocclusions?

Authors

  • Arezoo Jahanbin D.D.S., Associate Professor, Dental Research Center, Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Keywords:

dermatoglyphics, malocclusion, prediction

Abstract

Introduction: Dermal ridges and craniofacial structures form from the same embryonic tissues during the same embryonic period. Thus, this might indicate a possible association between dermatoglyphics and facial skeletal disorders, such as malocclusions. Early diagnosis of skeletal malocclusions sometimes can prevent future surgical procedures. The aim of this study was to compare the dermatoglyphic characteristics of different malocclusions.

Methods:  In this cross-sectional study, 323 patients who were referred to Orthodontic Department of Mashhad Dental School were recruited. The participants were classified into three groups according to Angle´s classification, i.e., Skeletal Class 1 (n = 163), Skeletal Class 2 (n = 111), and Skeletal Class 3 (n = 49). For all participants, we recorded the total ridge counts of each finger (TRC), atd angles, a-b ridge counts, and types of fingerprint patterns. Right- and left-hand asymmetry scores were calculated. The chi-squared test was used to compare the dissimilarity of the types of patterns for each finger. Asymmetry of other parameters was analyzed statistically using the ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests. P-values greater than 0.05 were considered to be significant.

Results: A significant difference was determined between Class I and Class III patients in terms of left a-b ridge count (p=0.049). Loop was the most frequent pattern in the three groups, whereas the arch pattern occurred with the lowest frequency. No significant difference was found in the other parameters that were studied.

Conclusion: Although there were some slight differences in dermatoglyphic peculiarities of different skeletal malocclusions, most of the palm and fingerprint characteristics failed to indicate any significant differences.

References

Cummins H, Talley C, Platou RV. Palmar dermatoglyphics in mongolism. Pediatrics. 1950; 5(2): 241-8,

PMID: 15405439.

Eslami N, Jahanbin A, Ezzati A. Palm and finger print characteristics in nonfamilial cleft lip and palate

patients and their parents. J Craniofac Surg. 2013; 24(3): 769-72. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0b013e3182869870,

PMID: 23714876.

Mathew L, Hegde AM, Rai K. Dermatoglyphic peculiarities in children with oral clefts. J Indian Soc Pedod

Prev Dent. 2005; 23(4): 179-82, PMID: 16327138.

Verbov JL. Dermatoglyphics in early-onset diabetes mellitus. Hum Hered. 1973; 23(6): 535-42. doi:

1159/000152620, PMID: 4792219.

Igbigbi P, Msamati B, Ng ambi T. Plantar and digital dermatoglyphic patterns in Malawian patients with

diabetes, hypertension and diabetes with hypertension. International Journal of Diabetes and Metabolism.

; 9: 24-31.

Alter M, Schulenberg R. Dermatoglyphics in congenital heart disease. Circulation. 1970; 41(1): 49-54. doi:

1161/01.CIR.41.1.49, PMID: 5420632.

Ezzati A, Batoei F, Jafari SA, Kiyani MA, Mahdavi-Shahri N, Ahanchian H, et al. Dermatoglyphic patterns

in cystic fibrosis children. Iran J Pediatr. 2014; 24(5): 609-16. PMID: 25793070, PMCID: PMC4359416.

Scott NM, Weinberg SM, Neiswanger K, Daack-Hirsch S, O'Brien S, Murray JC, et al. Dermatoglyphic

pattern types in subjects with nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) and their

unaffected relatives in the Philippines. Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2005; 42(4): 362-6. doi: 10.1597/04-040.1,

PMID: 16001916.

Neiswanger K, Cooper ME, Weinberg SM, Flodman P, Keglovits AB, Liu Y, et al. Cleft lip with or

without cleft palate and dermatoglyphic asymmetry: evaluation of a Chinese population. Orthod Craniofac

Res. 2002; 5(3): 140-6, PMID: 12194662.

Atasu M. Dermatoglyphic findings in dental caries: a preliminary report. J Clin Pediatr Dent. 1998; 22(2):

-9, PMID: 9643190.

Sharma A, Somani R. Dermatoglyphic interpretation of dental caries and its correlation to salivary bacteria

interactions: an in vivo study. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2009; 27(1): 17-21. doi: 10.4103/0970- 4388.50811, PMID: 19414969.

Atasu M, Kuru B, Firatli E, Meriç H. Dermatoglyphic findings in periodontal diseases. Int J Anthropol.

; 20(1-2): 63-75. doi: 10.1007/BF02445214.

Reddy S, Prabhakar AR, Reddy VV. A dermatoglyphic predictive and comparative study of Class I, Class

II, div. 1, div.2 and Class III malocclusions. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 1997; 15(1): 13-9. PMID:

Tikare S, Rajesh G, Prasad KW, Thippeswamy V, Javali SB. Dermatoglyphics--a marker for malocclusion?

Int Dent J. 2010; 60(4): 300-4. PMID: 20949762.

Woolf CM, Gianas AD. Congenital cleft lip and fluctuating dermatoglyphic asymmetry. Am J Hum Genet.

; 28(4): 400-3, PMID: 941907, PMCID: PMC1685050.

Matsuyama N, Ito Y. The frequency of fingerprint type in parents of children with Trisomy 21 in Japan. J

Physiol Anthropol. 2006 Jan;25(1):15-21. , , PMID: 16617204.

Chintamani, Khandelwal R, Mittal A, Saijanani S, Tuteja A, Bansal A, et al. Qualitative and quantitative

dermatoglyphic traits in patients with breast cancer: a prospective clinical study. BMC Cancer. 2007; 7: 44.

doi: 10.1186/1471-2407-7-44, PMID: 17397524.

Milicic J, Bujas Petkovic Z, Bozikov J. Dermatoglyphs of digito-palmar complex in autistic disorder:

family analysis. Croat Med J. 2003; 44(4): 469-76, PMID: 12950152.

David TJ. Dermatoglyphs in skeletal dysplasias. Postgrad Med J. 1977; 53(622): 438-40, PMID: 917958.

Trehan M, Kapoor D, Tandon P, Sharma V. Dermatoglyphic study of normal occlusion and malocclusion. J

Ind Orthod Soc. 2000; 33: 11-6.

Published

2022-02-21