10.

5005/jp-journals-10015-1221
NS Priya et al

SHORT COMMUNICATION

Dermatoglyphics in Dentistry: An Insight

NS Priya, P Sharada, N Chaitanya Babu, HC Girish

ABSTRACT
Fingerprint analysis for personal identification is well known, as
it is unique to all individuals and remains unchanged over a life
time. Now it is getting identified as a useful tool in understanding
the basic questions in genetics and is emerging as an
independent field in dentistry as dermatoglyphics.
Dermatoglyphics are the dermal ridge configurations on the
digits, palms and soles. Significant dermatoglyphics
investigations have been carried for chromosomal disorders like
Down syndrome, Turner syndrome, etc.
The history, embryogenesis and topology of dermatoglyphics
with emphasis on the various studies involving dermatoglyphics
has been focused in this review.
Keywords: Dermatoglyphics, Fingerprints, Ridge count, Palmar
patterns.
How to cite this article: Priya NS, Sharada P, Chaitanya Babu
N, Girish HC. Dermatoglyphics in Dentistry: An Insight. World J
Dent 2013;4(2):144-147.

Sir Edward Henry (1893) published the book The

classification and uses of fingerprints, commencing a
modern era of fingerprint identification.4
Cummins and Midlo (1926) coined the term
dermatoglyphics.4
Penrose LS (1945) conducted dermatoglyphic
investigation in Downs syndrome and other congenital
disorders.5
Schaumann and Alters (1976) published the book
Dermatoglyphics in medical disorders.1
Dermatoglyphics today: The current state of medical
dermatoglyphics is such that the diagnosis of some
diseases can now be done on the basis of
dermatoglyphics alone. Currently, several researchers
claim very high degree of accuracy in their prognostic
ability from the hand features.

Source of support: Nil

Conflict of interest: None declared

Embryogenesis of Dermatoglyphics

INTRODUCTION

The dermal ridge configurations are a direct consequence

of the surface topography of the fetal hand during the dermal
ridge development between 13th and 19th weeks of prenatal
life.6
Stages are:
1. Early limb development (4-6 week)
2. Pad appearance (61/2-8 week)
3. Pad regression (10-12 week)
4. Ridge formation (13th week)
5. Definite pattern (19th week)
Dermal ridge configurations are the immediate result of
physical and topographic growth forces affecting volar skin
which is predisposed in a polygenic manner to form parallel
dermal ridges. Ridge patterning is directly determined by
genes, but is the indirect consequence of the total form of
the hand at the time ridges are developing.6
Penrose (1968)7 suggested that ridges which are aligned
at right angles to compression forces, take the shortest routes
on the embryonic surfaces and the abnormal configurations
are the result of alterations in the fluid balance at an early
embryonic stage.
Hirsch et al (1973)8 summarized that the arrangement
of blood vessels and nerve pairs under the smooth epidermis
exists shortly before glandular folds and speculated that the
folds were induced by the blood vessel-nerve pairs.
Neuroepithelium plays an important role in the development
of patterns.

Dermatoglyphics is the science and art of surface markings

of the skin especially feet and hands (Derma: Skin, Glyph:
Carving).
Cummins and Midlo (1926) were the first to coin the
term dermatoglyphics.1 It is the dermal ridge configuration
of digits, palms and soles. The ridge formation begins to
develop about the 13th week of prenatal life and pattern
formation is completed in the 19th week.1
Fingerprints are unique to all individuals and remain
unchanged over the lifetime. Multiple genes determine
fingerprint configurations and the study of fingerprints
reveal vital genetic and medical information about an
individual. Dermatoglyphic studies have been carried out
on leukemia, breast cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis,
syndromes, etc.
Dermatoglyphics in dentistry is proving to be a reliable
tool for preliminary investigations of oral pathosis with
suspected genetic basis. Significant dermatoglyphic studies
have been carried out in conditions like Down syndrome,
dental caries, oral clefts, oral submucous fibrosis.
History of Dermatoglyphics

William Herschel (1858) was the first to experiment with

fingerprints in India.2
Sir Francis Galton (1892) with his extensive research
demonstrated the hereditary significance of fingerprints
and biological variations of different racial groups.3

144

WJD
Dermatoglyphics in Dentistry: An Insight

Pattern configurations: It can be divided into palmar

and fingertip patterns: Table 1.
Palm is divided into several anatomical areas like thenar
area, four interdigital areas and hypothenar area. Thenar
area does not show any pattern1 (Fig. 1).
The three major palmar creases are seen.
Distal crease (DC): It originates from the lateral side of the
palm and ends in between the pointing finger and the middle
finger.
Proximal crease (PC): It originates from the hypothenar
area and ends in between the thumb and pointing finger.
Table 1: Types of palmar and fingertip patterns
Palmar patterns

Fingertip patterns

Thenar area (Th or I1)

Hypothenar area (Hy)
Interdigital areas (I2, I3, I4)
Palmar creases (DC, PC and TC)
Atd angle

Arches
Loops
Whorls

Thenar crease (TC): It originates from the base of the palm

and ends in between the thumb and pointing finger,
generally fused with PC.
Atd angle: An angle formed by lines drawn from the digital
triradius (a) to the axial triradius (t) and from this to digital
triradius (d) is called atd angle. The more distal the position
of t, the larger is the atd angle1 (Fig. 2).
Triradius: It is formed by the confluence of three ridge
systems. The geometric centre of triradius is designated as
a triradial point. It is the meeting point of three ridges that
form angles of approximately 120 with one another.1
Fingertip Patterns
Galton (1892) divided the fingertip patterns into three
groups:1
ArchesSimple arch and tented arch
LoopsUlnar loop and radial loop
Whorls: Central pocket whorl and simple whorl arches: It
is the simplest pattern found on fingertips. Simple arch is
composed of ridges that cross the fingertip from one side to
the other and has no triradius. Tented arch is composed of
ridges that meet at a point so that their smooth sweep is
interrupted and has a central triradius.
Loops: It is the most common pattern with series of ridges
entering the pattern area on one side of the digit and leaving
the area on the same side. If the ridge opens on the ulnar
side, it is called ulnar loop and if it opens on toward the
radial side, it is called radial loop.

Fig. 1: Pattern configurations

Fig. 2: Atd angle

World Journal of Dentistry, April-June 2013;4(2):144-147

Fig. 3: Finger tip patterns

145

NS Priya et al

Whorl: It is any ridge configuration with two or more triradii

and ridges actually encircle a core. A central pocket whorl
is a pattern containing loop within which a smaller whorl is
located1 (Fig. 3).
Methods of printing: The methods used for palm printing is
inexpensive and rapid.
Ink method: One of the most widely used method. The
necessary equipment consists of printers ink, a roller, a
glass or metal inking slab, a sponge rubber and good quality
paper preferably with a slightly glazed surface.9
Faurot inkless method: Commercially available patented
solution and specially treated sensitized paper is used in
this method.9

Downs Syndrome11

Turners Syndrome11

Photographic method: It is based on the principles of total

internal reflection which occurs when an object is pressed
against a prism. The magnified image is photographed by a
Polaroid camera.5
Special methods: It allows the study of the correlation
between the epidermal patterns and the underlying bone
structures (radiodermatography), study of sweat pores
(hygrophotography), or study of the spatial shape of the
ridged skin areas, for example in primates (plastic mold
method).1
In most individuals, other than newborns, the dermal
patterning can be observed directly without magnification
or with the aid of a simple hand lens and good lighting.
Numerical method: Algorithm of synthesis of images of
fingerprints is used and in particular all the possible
arrangements of so called minutiae are created. The model
allows looking at digital coding of a fingerprint and also
enables mathematical cataloguing of minutiae and types of
patterns.10
Dermatoglyphic studies in dentistry: As dermatoglyphics
are genetically controlled characteristics, any deviation in
dermatoglyphics features indicates a genetic difference
between normal and abnormal. Dermatoglyphics has been
considered a window of congenital abnormalities and other
conditions.

146

Short fifth finger

Atd > 120
Ab ridge count > 105
Bilateral hypothenar pattern
A-line in the thenar crease.

Klinefelters Syndrome11

Transparent adhesive tape method: In this method, the print

is produced by applying a dry coloring pigment to the skin,
and lifting it off with the transparent adhesive tape. The
coloring agent may be colored chalk, dust, India ink,
standard ink, carbon paper, graphite stick or powdered
graphite, common oil pastel crayon, etc. Advantage is prints
are clear and not smudged and can be preserved for an
indefinite period of time.1

High frequency of simian crease

Ulnar loops on fingers
Bilateral
Radial loop on digit 4 and 5.

Slight increase in height of the axial triradius in hypothenar pattern

Decrease in thenar pattern.

Pseudohypoparathyroidism11

Short broad bands

High axial triradius
Increased arch patterns.

Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome11

Bilateral I2 and I3
Four or more arches in the fingertips.

Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate12

Increased triradii count

Rare patterns on thenar eminence in hands
Significantly more arches, double loops and ulnar loops
Increased asymmetry of atd angles.13

Dental Caries14

Increased whorl pattern

Total finger ridge count was higher
High frequency of arches and radial loops in thenar and
interdigital areas
Atd angle was between 45 and 56.

Oral Submucous Fibrosis15

Increase in frequency of arches

Decrease in frequency of simple whorls
Increase in pattern frequency in thenar/I1 area
Decrease in atd angle.

Limitations of Dermatoglyphics

It is difficult for the dermatoglyphics patterns to be

diagnostically useful, if the patient has gross malformations of the limbs11

WJD
Dermatoglyphics in Dentistry: An Insight

There are several disadvantages for using atd angle as a

parameter. The most important shortcoming is the size
of atd angle that is affected by the amount of spreading
of the fingers when the patterns are recorded. The
pressure exerted can also affect the atd angle.1
Care must be taken while recording the prints to apply
the ink material in adequate amounts. A thin or thick
application results in light or dark improper prints.

CONCLUSION
Fingerprints are known to be unique and unalterable and
hence an excellent tool for population studies, personal
identification, morphological and genetic research. As the
dermatoglyphics are genetically controlled characteristics,
any deviation in dermatoglyphics patterns indicates a genetic
difference between control group and abnormal population.
Though dermatoglyphics are considered an inexact science,
has moved from obscurity to acceptability as a diagnostic
tool. Extensive research in this field is required in order to
determine the validity.
REFERENCES
1. Schaumann B, Alter M. Dermatoglyphics in medical disorders.
New York: Springer Verlag Publishers 1976:27-87.
2. Herschel WJ. Skin furrows of the hand. Nature 1880;23:76.
3. Galton F. Fingerprints. London: MacMillan Publishers 1892:3-5.
4. Cummins H, Midlo C. Fingerprints, palms and solesAn
introduction to dermatoglyphics. Philadelphia: Blakiston
company 1943:11-15.
5. Penrose LS. Dermatoglyphic topology. Nature 1965;2005:
540-1470.
6. Mulvihill JJ, Smith DW. The genesis of dermatoglyphics. J
Pediatr 1969;75:579-89.
7. Penrose LS, Ohara PT. The development of the epidermal ridges.
J Med Genet 1973;10:201.
8. Hirsch W, Schweichel JU. Morphological evidence concerning
the problem of skin ridge formation. J Ment Defic Res
1973;17:58-72.

World Journal of Dentistry, April-June 2013;4(2):144-147

9. Miller JR, Giroux J. Dermatoglyphics in pediatric practice. J

Pediatr 1969;75:302-12.
10. Jurgensen AP, Kosz D. Fingerprint verification for use in identity
verification system. Aalborg University 1993:257-80.
11. Preus M, Fraser F. Dermatoglyphics and syndromes. Amer J
Dis Child 1972;24:933-43.
12. Mathew L, Hegde AM, Rai K. Dermatoglyphic peculiarities in
children with oral clefts. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent
2005;23:179-82.
13. Adams MS, Niswander JD. Developmental noise and a
congenital malformation. Genet Res 1967;10:313.
14. Ahmed RH, Aref MI, Hassan RM, Mohammed NR.
Dermatoglyphic study on patients with dental caries who
wearing dental fillings and its correlation to apoptosis that
induced by using dental fillings. Nature Sci 2010;8:54-57.
15. Veena HS. Cross-sectional study of palmar dermatoglyphics
among gutkha chewers with and without oral submucous fibrosis.
Karnataka, Bengaluru: Rajiv Gandhi University of Health
Sciences, Mar 2006.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

NS Priya (Corresponding Author)
Reader, Department of Oral Pathology, VS Dental College and
Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, Phone: 08861777706, e-mail:
dr_priyans@yahoo.com

P Sharada
Professor and Head, Department of Oral Pathology, AECS Maaruti
College of Dental Sciences and Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

N Chaitanya Babu
Professor, Department of Oral Pathology, Oxford Dental College and
Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

HC Girish
Professor and Head, Department of Oral Pathology, Raja Rajeshwari
Dental College and Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

147