FORMAS DE APRESENTAÇÃO DA SUTURA PALATINA TRANSVERSA EM CRÂNIOS SECOS DE ADULTOS DA REGIÃO NORDESTE DO BRASIL

Abstract

In human skulls, we find many variations, among them in the hard palate, which is an important reference point for determining sex and age in the field of Forensic Anthropology. In this region, we find two sutures: the median palatine and the transverse palatine. The median palatine separates the two palatine processes of the maxillae from each other and the two horizontal laminae of the palatine bones from each other. The transverse palatine suture separates the palatine processes of the maxillae from the horizontal laminae of the palatine bones, and in certain cases, we can observe changes in the shape of these sutures. The objective of our study was to analyze the forms of presentation of the transverse palatine suture in an Osteological Collection of the Faculty of Medicine of FAP-Araripina (PE) and relate it to sexual dimorphism. We used a sample of 324 dry skulls of adults, 196 males and 128 females. We classified the sutures into four types according to their arrangement: Type 1, rectilinear; Type 2, with posterior convexity; Type 3, with anterior convexity and Type 4, irregular. After analyzing the data, we obtained the following results: according to the total sample (n=324), Type 1 was the most frequent with 33.95% of the cases, followed by Type 3 (32.09%), Type 4 (29.01%) and Type 2 with 4.94% of the cases analyzed. Regarding gender, males presented Type 3 most frequently (34.18%) and females the most frequent was Type 1 (34.37%). In view of the above, it is necessary to carry out further studies in our population, due to the large territorial area of ​​Brazil and the great existing miscegenation.