NCJ Number
68927
Date Published
1980
Length
41 pages
Annotation
THE USE OF DENTAL EVIDENCE FOR IDENTIFICATION AND OTHER PURPOSES IS DISCUSSED, AND TRENDS IN FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS CHAPTER FROM 'INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC SCIENCES.'
Abstract
THE SCIENCE OF FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT TEETH, DENTAL RESTORATIONS, DENTAL PROTHESES, MAXILLARY SINUS CONFIGURATION, ANATOMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HARD PALATE, BONE TRABECULAE PATTERNS, BONY PROTUBERANCES, CRACKS, AND OVERALL FACIAL MORPHOLOGY PRESENT A VAST NUMBER OF RELATIVELY STABLE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS. UTILIZATION OF THE EVIDENCE IS LIMITED TO DENTISTS EXPERIENCED IN THE FIELD. FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY ENCOMPASSES A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS INCLUDING NOT ONLY DENTAL IDENTIFICATION OF THE UNKNOWN DECEASED BUT ALSO THE EVALUATION OF CHILD ABUSE CASES, INTERPRETATION OF BITE MARK EVIDENCE, PERSONAL INJURY CASES, AND FORENSIC DENTAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. DENTAL EVIDENCE IS USED IN IDENTIFICATIONS THROUGH COMPARISON OF ANTEMORTEM AND POSTMORTEM X-RAYS, COMPARISON OF WRITTEN DENTAL RECORDS WITH POSTMORTEM X-RAYS, THROUGH CONFIRMATION OF THE VICTIM'S AGE TO SUPPORT OTHER AVAILABLE EVIDENCE, AND THROUGH EVALUATION OF DENTAL PROSTHESES. THE LATTER METHOD IS ESPECIALLY USEFUL IN CASES OF MASS DISASTERS BECAUSE OF THE PRECISION INVOLVED IN DENTAL PROSTHESES CONSTRUCTION. FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY IS BROADENING TO MORE SOPHISTICATED AREAS INCLUDING RUGOSCOPY, THE STUDY AND INTERPRETATION OF PALATAL RIDGES AND GROOVES; SEROLOGY, PRIMARILY INVOLVING SALIVA ANALYSIS; SEX DETERMINATION THROUGH MANDIBULAR CANINE COMPARISON; AND RACIAL CHARACTERISTICS THROUGH INCISOR SHAPE STUDY. A THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF INJURIES TO ORAL STRUCTURES IS A PRIMARY REQUIREMENT OF THE SUCCESSFUL FORENSIC ODONTOLOGIST. INJURIES ARE CLASSIFIED AS GINGIVAL OR ORAL MUCOSAL INJURY, HARD AND PULPAL TISSUE INJURY, SUPPORTING PERIDONTAL INJURY, OR SUPPORTING BONE INJURY. MODIFYING FACTORS IN ORAL TRAUMA INCLUDE INCOMPLETE LIP COVERAGE, BONE CYSTS, AND SYSTEMIC CONDITIONS. REFERNCES AND PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED IN THE CHAPTER.