Use of pulp tissue of deciduous teeth for gender determination - A comparative molecular analysis study.

Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of pulp tissue collected from deciduous teeth for the determination of gender using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Materials and Methods: 140 extracted deciduous teeth were selected. The control group comprised 20 teeth that were subjected to DNA analysis immediately. Whereas Group I and Group II consisted of 60 teeth which were stored in the open environment and salt water, respectively, for a period of 3, 9, and 15 months. DNA was isolated and quantified followed by the amplification of X and Y chromosomes by PCR and compared with the actual gender of the child. The data were analysed using the Shapiro-Wilk test, the independent sample t-test, paired t-test, and the Chi-square test.

Result: The PCR analysis results of Group I showed a more correct interpretation of gender as compared to Group II on storage for a period of 15 months. The PCR analysis results of the Control group showed a 100% accuracy rate as compared to the samples in Groups I and II.

Conclusions: Gender could be effectively determined from the samples evaluated immediately after extraction. But the period of storage and the method of storage conditions affected the quality of isolated DNA and thus decreased the ability of gender determination.