Study of cephalic index in Southern Odisha Population

Abstract

Morphology of all living beings undergo changes in varying degrees during their life and the features are variable in the individuals of the same species. No two persons are similar in their measurable character. Previewing the various works on the cephalic index and observing the socio-cultural uniqueness of southern odisha this study was done to find out the distribution of the cephalic index in the population of southern odisha. This study was carried out on 1030 outdoor patients of different parts of southern Odisha. Maximum head length and maximum head breadth were recorded using the spreading callipers. Cephalic indices were calculated using the formula (Maximum head breadth/ Maximum head length) x 100. Basing these indices the head shapes were classified as dolicocephalic, mesocephalic, brachycephalic and hyperbrachycephalic. From this study it was observed that mean cephalic index in females is higher than that of males. In males, maximum were mesocephalics followed by dolicephalics but in females, maximum were mesocephalics followed by brachycephalics. The data of the present study may be useful for forensic medicine experts, plastic surgeons, anatomists, anthropologists, oral surgeons, for clinical and in research studies.