Dermatoglyphics: A Tool in Detection of Dental Caries

This study was undertaken to evaluate the dermatoglyphic pattern among deaf and mute children affected with caries and children without caries. A total of 400 school children in the age group of 4-9 years were selected using purpose sampling method. Their fingerprints were recorded using duplicate ink and the frequency of occurrence of type of dermatoglyphic pattern of finger tips was noted. The caries experience was clinically assessed by dmft/DMFT index. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney test. Though, the arch pattern was commonly seen in children with caries and control group it was not statistically significant. Finger prints of caries free females and females with caries showed more of arch followed by loops. In caries free males common pattern was arch and in males with caries the pattern seen was arches followed by loops. However, these findings were not statistically significant. Dermatoglyphics can be an appropriate method to explore the possibility of a non-invasive and an early predictor of dental caries. Since, this is an inexact science, further extensive research and studies in the field have to be done in order to determine the significance of dermatoglyphics with dental caries.