NCJ Number
73795
Date Published
1979
Length
331 pages
Annotation
A practical introduction to the problems of odonto-stomatology is presented to assist practitioners of forensic medicine in identification of bodies and interpretation of tooth-related evidence.
Abstract
A general section on terminology, development and types of teeth, tooth structure, and tooth diseases supplies the necessary background required for use of the book by nonspecialists. The general discussion of oral characteristics also extends to differentiation of upper and lower teeth, determination of sex from teeth, ascription of separate teeth to specific individuals, differentiation of human teeth from animal teeth, age and number of teeth, determination of age from teeth of adults, children, and fetuses, establishment of blood types from teeth, identifying characteristics of the oral cavity, and materials and technology used for dental work. Also discussed are the effects of heat, chemicals, or earth and water saturation on teeth; techniques for removal, x-ray, photographing, casting, and preservation of teeth; identification of bodies by comparison of teeth to dental x-rays or other dental information; and measures to preserve teeth for identification of deceased persons in mass catastrophes. A final section discusses types of bite marks, their relevance to certain crimes, and means of matching bites to the teeth of suspected offenders. An outline for formal documentation of forensic dental findings, an extensive bibliography of over 270 entries, numerous illustrations, and an index are furnished.