Page 77 - Veritas Vol 3, Issue 2

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Identification following mass fatalities: The procedure for identifying a deceased
person in a mass disaster is similar to that of ordinary dental identification, but

is much more complicated. In situations involving fire or severe trauma,
physical features are often destroyed. Teeth can resist fire and a great majority

of traumas as they are heavily calcified.
Assessment of abuse cases: When faced with uncommon oral injuries, the dentist

should be on the lookout for signs of abuse of children, the elderly, or spouses.
The dentist should keep accurate and thorough records of all findings for

review by law enforcement authorities.

TECHNIQUES USED IN FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY:

In forensic dentistry, various techniques are used, such as:

Bite mark analysis: Bite marks can be used to identify suspects in criminal
cases. Recent techniques that have improved bite mark identification

include the use of electron microscopy and computer enhancement
technique.

Teeth prints: Ameloblasts lay down the enamel rods in an undulating and
intertwining path. The ends of a sequence of neighbouring enamel rods are

reflected in patterns on the enamel’s surface. Amelogyphics is the study of
these enamel rod patterns. Enamel can withstand deterioration, so it can be

used as an identification tool for burned or decomposed bodies.
Radiography: If sufficient antemortem records are available, using

radiographs for identification is valuable. From the radiographs, several
morphological and pathological changes may be examined. Identity is aided

by the morphology of the root and crown.
Dental DNA analysis: Teeth can be an excellent source of DNA. The use of

the technique based on Polymerase Chain Reaction, that enables a minute

quantity of DNA to be amplified, has acquired great importance in post-
mortem analysis in forensic cases.

Dental record: Dental records must be maintained and kept up to date. This
is a dentist's responsibility, as it provides patients and dentists with

information for administrative, forensic, and medico-legal needs. Dental
data were effectively used in several disasters, including the December 2004

tsunami in the Indian Ocean and the World Trade Center tragedy.

VERITAS VOLUME: 3, ISSUE: 2 WRITER: VARUN SAI S