Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the mesiodistal and buccolingual crown dimensions of the maxillary canines and maxillary first molars in three ethnic groups of Coorg: 39 Malayalees [19 males and 20 females], 33 Coorgis [17 males and 16 females] and 33 Tibetans [17 males and 16 females]. It also investigates the presence of sexual dimorphism in the dimensions of these teeth in this population., Materials and methods: Buccolingual (BL) and mesiodistal (MD) dimensions of maxillary first molars and maxillary canines were measured on 105 dental casts with vernier calipers with a resolution of 0.02 mm. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and ANOVA., Results: Male values exceeded female ones in all observed dimensions. The canines showed higher mean differences between sexes in BL and MD dimensions when compared to the first molars in all the three ethnic groups (p<0.05)., Significant differences between the three ethnic groups were evident in a few tooth dimensions, the difference in the BL dimensions of molars being the most pronounced., Conclusion: Sexual dimorphism exists in this population of Coorg, with the maxillary canines being more dimorphic than the maxillary first molars. Hence, odontometry of maxillary canine teeth can effectively be used as an adjunct in the determination of sex along with other odontometric and skeletal traits. However, the use of this method for determining ethnicity in this population is questionable.

Keywords: Forensic odontology, sex determination, ethnicity