Authors
Shreyashee Pandey
Abstract
Forensic odontology is the scientific discipline that utilizes the principles of dentistry to aid in the positive identification of human remains. Forensic anthropologist work very closely with forensic odontologists who apply their knowledge of dentition, dental appliances and dental work in the area of positive identification and bite mark analysis. Dental features such as the morphology of the tooth, changes in shape and size, wear patterns, color and position of the tooth and other dental features and anomalies give every individual a unique identity. Thus, the assistance of forensic odontologists is often requested when human remains are decomposed, buried, skeletonized, or beyond the point of clear facial recognition due to severe facial disfigurement. The role and importance of odontology in the judiciary is fast growing and hence a depth knowledge of the same is justified. This paper aims at providing an overview of dental evidence and their use in forensic identification. It highlights the importance of the dental records in the efficient identification of the conflict victims. A case study has also been given to better understand the application of odontology in establishing individual identity. Keywords- Forensic Odontology, Positive Identification, Bite-marks, Facial Disfigurement, Dental Anomalies.
Introduction
Odontology is the study of teeth-their development, structure, function and degeneration. Odontology is the science behind the practice of dentistry. Forensic odontology is the use of dental information to those crook and common laws that are authorized by police organizations in a criminal equity framework. It is a branch of forensic sciences which uses the skill of the dentist for identifying people during mass calamities.
Teeth are the most durable structures in the human body; they are more resilient than bone and thus are often the only human remains recovered from forensic scenes and archaeological sites. Teeth are frequently recuperated in measurable cases, mass catastrophes, clashes, and mass graves related with basic freedom infringements. Due to the fact that teeth have vast post-mortem longevity, dentition plays a very important role in deciding the biological profile and individual’s identity. The most important aspect of dentition which makes it useful in a forensic setting is that, just like fingerprints, each person’s dentition is unique. The human permanent dentition comprises of 32 teeth. Each tooth can be virgin, restored, rotated, fractured or missing. When restored or fractured, one or more of the five different tooth surfaces may be involved for each of the 32 teeth. By analyzing the size, depth and anatomy of altered tooth surface, forensic odontologists can compare between the antemortem and postmortem dental radiographs (Thomas, 1995).
A high percentage of the general population seeks dental care regularly from time to time, thus providing criteria for positive identification in form of patient databases for different individual. In cases where the person’s body is mutilated beyond recognition, teeth can prove to be very useful in providing important clues about the identity of the unknown individual. The dental proof is conceivable on the grounds that the hard tissues are saved even after death and can withstand high temperatures without the deficiency of its microstructure. Odontological identification depends on the systematic comparison of pre and postmortem dental characteristics of an individual which is based on dental records and supporting radiographs. The other features which help in identification are dental pathology, restorations, and dental anomalies.
This paper highlights the methods and utilization of forensic odontology in determining a person’s identity. It also specifies the utilization of teeth in the identification process and its importance in the assessment of biological profile. The paper also points out the information that can be extracted about the victim from the teeth using dental anomalies and other dental records.
References
Black, Sue, and Eilidh Ferguson. Forensic Anthropology 2000 to 2010. CRC Press, 2011.
Burns, Karen Ramey. Forensic Anthropology Training Manual. 3rd ed., Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group), 2013.
Fulton, Paul Roger. “Forensic Odontology — An Overview.” Anthropologie (1962), vol. 22, no. 3, Moravian Museum, 1984, pp. 233–35, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26295490.
Klepinger, Linda. Fundamentals of Forensic Anthropology. Hoboken, NJ, United States, John Wiley & Sons, 2006.
Thomas, Peggy. Forensic Anthropology- The Growing Science of Talking Bones. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1995.
How to cite this article?
| APA Style | Pandey, S. (2021). Dentition as Marker for Establishing Individual Identity. Academic Journal of Anthropological Studies, 04(01), 08–11. |
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