Forensic Odontology: The New Dimension in Dental Analysis: K. P. Divakar
Forensic Odontology: The New Dimension in Dental Analysis: K. P. Divakar
Forensic Odontology: The New Dimension in Dental Analysis: K. P. Divakar
REVIEW ARTICLE
ABSTRACT
Forensic Odontology a branch of Forensic sciences uses the skill of the dentist in personal identification
during mass calamities, sexual assault and child abuse to name a few. This branch not stranger to many has
been growing tenfold in its potential and its ability to bring the forlorn to justice where a dental remains
is the only available evidence. Its role and importance in the judiciary is fast growing and hence in depth
knowledge in this field seems more than justified. (Int J Biomed Sci 2017; 13 (1): 1-5)
1776: At the battle for Breeds Hill in Boston, Dr. Jo- and analyzed using counter current electrophoresis with
seph Waren was killed in the year His face was not able to artificially antisera (3).
identify as he suffered from a fatal head wound. A dentist,
Paul Revere, identified Dr. Warren, dead body by a small DNA ANALYSIS IN FORENSIC DENTISTRY
denture that he had fabricated for him.
The sample for DNA analysis is isolated from the bio-
IDENTIFICATION UNKNOWN REMAINS logical material such as blood, semen, hair roots, tissue,
teeth, bone and saliva (5).
Dental identification plays an important role when
identification of remains of deceased person is skeleton- SPECIMEN SELECTION
ized, decomposed, burned or dismembered and is invalid In the decomposed post-mortem tissue, Although DNA
by visual or fingerprint methods. undergoes progressive fragmentation through autolytic
The identification of remains by dental evidence is pos- and bacterial enzymes; the sequence of information is still
sible because, the hard tissues are preserved after death present in the DNA fragment (7). Therefore information is
and can even withstand a temperature of 1600 degree C not completely lost even though the body has undergone
when heated without appreciable loss of microstructure, decomposition. In the fresh cadaver, unclotted blood can
and the status of a persons teeth change throughout the be source of DNA (8).
life and the combination of decay, missing, filling can be
obtained from any fixed time (2). Storage
Odontological identification is based on systemic com- The specimen should be stored in cold place or frozen.
parison of pre and post mortem dental characteristics of Desiccation, simple air-drying can be used to store bone
individual based on dental records and the supporting and bloodstains. Tissue in formalin is often used for PCR
radiographs (3). But this technique is complicated by the based DNA testing9.
trauma to jaws and inadequate ante-mortem dental infor-
mation. Collection
According to American board of forensic odontology One should be very careful about contaminating the
dental identification can be divided into four types (3): specimens so should wear gloves and use pristine instru-
1. Positive identification: The ante-mortem and post- ments. The collection of fresh specimen is done by inci-
mortem data match to establish that it is from same indi- sional biopsy (9).
vidual;
2. Possible identification: The ante-mortem and post- Reference sample
mortem data have few consistent features, but because of When there is no much information about ante-mor-
quality of the records it is difficulty to establish the iden- tem of the individual, the specimens can be selected from
tity; spouse and children as reference sample for DNA testing.
3. Insufficient evidence: The data is not enough to from Forensic odontology has an important role because teeth
the conclusion; and saliva is excellent source of DNA. Since 1992, the iso-
4. Exclusion: The ante-mortem and postmortem data lation of DNA from saliva and salivary stained material is
clearly inconsistent. done (9).
In many cases, dental identification, fingerprint, and
DNA are most commonly used and often complement Saliva
each other. It is major source of DNA because; it contains
sloughed epithelial cells from oral mucosa and inner sur-
DETERMINATION OF SPECIES face of lip. The enzymes such as Streptococcus Salivar-
ius and Streptococcus Mutans are present on teeth and
It comes into picture when the evidence found at the in the saliva (11). In Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
scene of crime is a fragment of mandible or just a single technology, the Streptococcal DNA sequence provides a
tooth, which is of few millimeters in size (5). It is possible means with which to identify the bacterial composition
to determine species by dental tissues because the dentinal from bite marks and can be matched exclusively to those
fluids contain special information, which can be compared from the teeth responsible (9).
1) Craniofacial morphology and dimension: The mor- distortion of the material and we can obtain a good im-
phology of the skull and mandible, pattern formed by six pression of biting edges. Taking swabs from this object is
traits those are mastoid, supraorbital ridge, size and archi- very necessary because it may reveal the blood group is
tecture of the skull, zygomatic extensions, nasal aperture, the assailant and DNA analysis is possible (13).
and mandible gonial angle and Frontal sinus dimension are
taken into consideration. Lip print
2) Sex difference in tooth dimension: Sex determination Cheiloscopy is a forensic investigation that deals with
by measuring mesiodistal and buccolingual dimensions identification of human based on lip traces. Lip print wrin-
is most simple and reliable method for sex determination. kle pattern has individual characteristics same as finger
Both the dimensions are more in male than in female. prints (20). The wrinkles and grooves on the labial mucosa
3) Tooth morphology: In male, the distal accessory form a characteristic pattern called lip prints. The presence
ridge in canines is more prominent than in female. In fe- or absence of a person from the crime can be verified based
male, there is less number of cusps in mandibular first mo- on lip prints since the lip prints being uniform throughout
lar (distobuccal or distal). These features can be because of the life. The 1967 Santos was the first person to classify lip
evolutionary reduction in the female lower jaw size. grooves. There are four types of lip grooves (13).
4) Sex determination by DNA analysis: The study by Straight line
Das and his associates stated that the sex determination Curved line
could be obtained from the studying the X and Y-chromo- Angled line
somes upto four weeks of the death. Sine shaped line
For collection, development and recording of lip prints
BITE MARK a uniform and standard procedure has to be developed
which helps ensuring comparison.
The bite mark is defined as the physical alteration in
or on a medium caused by the contact of teeth. In few of CONCLUSION
criminal cases it is seen that suspect or victim has left his
or her teeth marks on another person or inanimate object This article aims to provide an overview into the im-
(4). The concept of bite mark evidence is interesting and is portance of forensic odontology with an emphasis various
there from Roman times. methods how to do so. DNA profiling provides informa-
There will be an outer edge of arches along with se- tion regarding physical characteristics, ethnicity and sex
ries of abrasion, with or without laceration that reflects the determination. Forensic odontology is that branch forensic
size, shape and arrangement of class characteristics of in- medicine has established itself as an important and indis-
cisal or occlusal surfaces of dentition (8). pensable service in medico legal matters toward the cre-
In more aggressive bites -The assailant may suck the ation of justice and secures society for the future inhabit-
soft tissues into the mouth so that images of palatal ants.
and incisal surfaces of teeth may appear. Bites show
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