2. Learning outcomes
Describe, in detail, the full range of methods,
protocols and technologies utilized in the field of
forensic odontology
Identify alternative methods available and their
advantages and disadvantages
Understanding of the role of oral radiology in forensics
4. Introduction
• FORENSIC IS DERIVED FROM THE LATIN WORD
FORUM WHICH MEANS COURT OF LAW
• ODONTOLOGYSTUDY OF TEETH
• DEFINED AS THAT BRANCH OF DENTISTRY WHICH ,IN
THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE ,DEALS WITH THE PROPER
HANDLING AND EXAMINATION OF DENTAL
EVIDENCE,AND WITH THE PROPER EVALUATION AND
PRESENTATION OF DENTAL FINDINGS
6. Earliest dental identification case– 66 A.D
Records show that, in the year 66 A.D., the Roman
Emperor Nero's mistress, Sabina, was satisfied that the
head presented to her on a platter was Nero's wife
because she was able to recognize her black anterior
tooth.
7. PAUL REVERE- In 1770’s , first dentist to use dental evidence for identification
EVOLUTION OF FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY
8. “The role of the dentists in the identification of the victims in accidents” on 4 may
1897” at paris, international medical congress of moscow.
1898
FATHER OF FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY
9. ADOLF HITLER
LEFT UPPER AND
LOWER BRIDGE
SEEN FROM THE
LINGUAL
Eva Braun
on April 30th
1945
Until
1968, Hitler’s fate was still a
mystery
Dentist Hugo Blaschke
11. Forensic Odontologists
• Practicing dentists
– Specialized training to understand how to apply
forensic science to dentistry
• Most are members of a professional
organization
• DDS degree
12. Forensic Odontology delve into
• Identifying unknown human remains through dental
records ,and assisting at location of mass disaster
• Eliciting the ethnicity and assisting in building up a picture
of lifestyle and diet of skeletal remains at archeological
sites.
• Determining the gender of an unidentified individual
• Age estimation of both the living and deceased
• Recognition and analysis of bite marks found on victims of
attack and other substances such as food stuff
Presenting evidence in court as an expert witness
13. Forensic Odontologists
• 4 events in which an odontologist would be
called for forensic analysis:
–Individual identification
–Mass disaster identification
–Bite mark analysis
–Dental malpractice
19. DENTAL IDENTIFICATION PROCEDURES
TWO FORMS:
Comparative Identification
Comparing the dead individuals teeth with presumed
dental records of the individual.
20. DENTAL IDENTIFICATION PROCEDURES
Reconstructive Identification (Dental Profiling):
Attempts to elicit the ethnicity or race, gender, age and
occupation of the dead individual.
Undertaken when virtually no clue exists
21. Comparative dental identification
Includes four steps
STEP 1: Oral autopsy
STEP 2: Obtaining dental records
STEP 3: Comparing postmortom and antemortom
dental data
STEP 4: Writing a report and drawing conclusion
22. Usually done by:
• Assessing the Craniofacial morphology and
dimension
• Gender differences in tooth size
• Dental index (profiling)
• Determination by DNA analysis
Reconstructive Identification
23. Gender Determination
MCI in identification of sex has never exceeded 87.5% of success rate
it can only be used as a supplemental tool.
MANDIBULAR CANINE INDEX
BY ROOT LENGTH AND CROWN DIAMETER
-80% accuracy
-done by optical scanner
BY USING THE MEASUREMENTS ON THE MANDIBLE
24. Gender Determination
From DNA and Related structures
-Necrotic tissue stained with Quinacrine mustard and
using fluorescent Y chromosome
-PCR amplification method .
25. IDENTIFY ETHNIC ORIGIN FROM THE TEETH
• HUMAN RACES HAVE BEEN DIVIDED IN TO
THREE RACES CAUCASOID, MANGOLOID AND
NEGROID
• IT IS POSSIBLE TODAY TO IDENTIFY AN
INDIVIDUAL’S ETHNIC ORIGIN BASED PURELY
ON ONE’S DENTITION
26.
27.
28.
29.
30. THE PALATAL RUGAE
IN IDENTIFICATION
• USEFUL IN EDENTULOUS PERSONS
• RUGAE PATTERNS LIKE TEETH ARE CONSIDERED
UNIQUE TO AN INDIVIDUAL
• RUGAE PATTERNS ON THE DECENDENT’S MAXILLA
OR MAXILLARY DENTURES MAY BE COMPARED TO
OLD DENTURES THAT MAY BE RECOVERED FROM THE
DECENDENT’S RESIDENCE,OR PLASTER MODEL
FROM DENTAL OFFICE
35. A BITEMARK has been defined as a pattern produced by
human or animal dentitions and associated structures in
any substance capable of being marked by these means.
DEFINITION
36. FACTORS AFFECTING BITE MARKS APPEARENCE
Status of tissue
Time elapsed b/w
biting
& impression
making
The manner in which the
bite mark is made
The no. of teeth
involved
Number of dental
peculiarities possessed by
bite marks.
Reaction of
surrounding
tissue.
37.
38. Collection Protocols
Dental records: Whenever possible, the dental records of the individual should be
obtained. This will aid in establishing the suspect's dental profile and record of
treatment.
Dental impressions
Saliva samples
39. Photographic documentation of the dentition:
Extra oral photographs: A frontal full-face view and a view with the teeth in
centric should be taken.. mouth opening/evidence of trauma or surgery/muscle
tone
Intraoral photographs: maxillary and mandibular occlusal views of the
dentition..
• Missing and misaligned, broken and restored of teeth should be noted.
• The periodontal condition and tooth mobility should be noted whenever
possible.
• Occlusal disharmonies should be noted whenever possible.
40. Lip Prints
• Examination of lip print-cheloscopy
• Grooves an wrinkles visible on lips named as sulci, labiorum
rubrorum
• Grooves are heritable and suppose to be individualistic so
material evidence left at a crime scene similar to finger prints
52. ROLE OF A DENTIST IN FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY
•Case history
•Casts
•X-rays
•Photographs
•Cephalometric analysis
DENTIST AS A KEY WITNESS
PRESERVATION OF RECORDS
COMPARISION OF RECORDS BEFORE AND AFTER DEATH
56. DENTIST AS AN EXPERT WITNESS
• Expert witness are those whose training,
qualification or experience enables them to give an
opinion on relevant matter where the ordinary
person is not so enabled.
• To become dental expert to forensic dental expert
need additional knowledge and experience
