No abstract

The comparative study of cephalometric indices among the Igede and Idoma ethnic groups of Benue State was undertaken due to lack of adequate cephalometry among Nigerians. The anthropometric characteristics of 425 apparently normal adults of ages 17-40 years of Igede and Idoma ethnic extractions of Benue State, Nigeria with no physical deformities of the face and head were randomly selected for this study. Satisfactorily characterizations between the two ethnic groups was clearly established. There were 425 subjects were used for the study of which 158 were Igede and 267 were Idoma with mean age of 22.6±0.45 and 23.0±0.47 year, respectively. The anthropometric variables measured were head length, head width, bizygomatic distance, upper facial length, lower facial length, total facial length, nose width and skull height from which the cephalometric indices were calculated. The result showed that there were statistically significant differences (p<0.05) in some of the measured variables between the Igede and Idoma tribes of Benue State. The results also showed a positive correlation between the head width and bizygomatic distance and other anthropometric variables which could be used to predict cephalic indices among the Igede and Idoma ethnic groups of Benue State, Nigeria. These results showed that the dominant head form among the Idoma and Igede Ethnic groups were mesocephalic respectively. Facial indices showed dominant hypereuryprosopic face type for both ethnic groups. The results showed that the data obtained from the present study could be used in forensic anthropology and in establishing ancestral relationship and in reconstructive surgeries of the face, head and neck of the 2 ethnic groups of Idoma and Igede of Benue State of Nigeria.