Applications of Dermatoglyphics in Dentistry- A Bibliographic Review

Introduction: Dermatoglyphics is the study of the characteristic ridged skin patterns on the fingertips, palms, toes, and soles of all primates, including humans. Due to this unique and unalterable nature, dermatoglyphics can be used as an excellent tool for population studies, personal identification, and morphological and genetic research. In recent years, dermatoglyphics has drawn a lot of attention in the field of dentistry, as a potential adjunct diagnostic tool in the identification of various orofacial and dental anomalies.

Aim: To identify and analyse all the articles published on applications of dermatoglyphics in dentistry.

Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search of bibliographic databases was performed by two independent reviewers, from October 2022 to December 2022, using medical sub-heading terms like “Dermatoglyphics”, “Dental”, and “Oral” in several combinations. All types of published studies were included in this bibliographic analysis. The articles were identified, tabulated and analysed to extract the various bibliometric details.

Results: A total of 536 citations were achieved cumulatively by 57 publications included in this review. The article that received the maximum number of citations (citation=46) was by Reddy BRM et al., published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research in year 2013. Maximum publications (n=46) originated from India. Most of the published articles were focused on application of dermatoglyphics for the diagnosis of dental caries (n=21) followed by malocclusion (n=14).

Conclusion: The present bibliometric analysis identifies and analyses the most-cited articles on applications of dermatoglyphics in dentistry. The findings of this review not only provide insight into the scientific evolution in the field but also reveal trends in further research and clinical practice.