Journal of Forensic Dental Sciences

Orthodontic records, such as photographs, radiographs, and dental casts, provide information useful for identification purposes because it may reveal important morphological, therapeutic, and pathological dental identifiers. Among these identifiers, the type and position of orthodontic appliances figure as distinctive tools for human identification. In this context, the present study aims to report an uncommon case of identification of a putrefied body, found near to a forest region in Brazil. The postmortem (PM) examination showed that the victim had part of a fixed orthodontic appliance installed in the maxillary and mandibular dental arches...

The analysis of skeletal remains opens the portal of scientific truth that enables the justice system to discover the facts and circumstances surrounding criminal acts. There is definite role of forensic odontology in identification and determination of dental age of skeletal remains (mandible), especially when visual identification and fingerprints cannot be used. Here, we present a case of a missing boy whose skeletal remains were recovered from a water tank. Skeleton remains were brought by police personal with an alleged history that the remains belong to a child who has been missing since 2 years...

INTRODUCTION: Teeth are invaluable in both the living and the deceased for forensic identification and profiling purposes. The occlusal surface patterns in the molars of an individual depend on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The individualistic nature of the groove pattern can be used to determine the identity of an individual by the process of comparative identification. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to determine the uniqueness of the groove pattern among individuals by the means of digital analysis...

Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of forensic odontology among undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate dental students at Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, institution-based survey study conducted among 400 dental students, which included 220 undergraduates, eighty interns, sixty graduates, and forty postgraduates aged, between 18 and 28 years...

Context: Anthropometry plays an important role in the assessment of ethnicity and identification of an individual. There is paucity of literature on various facial parameters in Haryanvi population. Thus, the present study was an initiation to collect this database in Haryanvi population. Aim: The aim of the present study was to create a database of craniofacial parameters of Haryanvi population. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 300 individuals of Haryanvi ethnicity...

This study aimed to establish the influence of socioeconomic and nutritional factors on the age of eruption of the mandibular third molar among Ugandans aged 10-20 years. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out in a dental clinic of Mulago Hospital between January and December 2017. The background information was obtained from the participants using a questionnaire in the form of an oral interview. The anthropometric measurements were obtained using a tape measure and a weighing scale, while dental radiographs were used to determine the eruption stages of the mandibular third molar...

Aim: This study aimed at establishing the age for third molar eruption among Ugandans aged 10-20 years. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study comprising 471 male and 541 female patients attending Mulago Dental Clinic. Patients' orthopantomographs were assessed for third molar eruption as described by Olze et al. Age was summarized using means/SD. Jaw and sex differences were assessed using Student's t -test. Results: Complete eruption (Stage D) ranged between 13 and 20 years...

Context: Age estimation in forensics employ various methods of which Raman microspectroscopy provides a noninvasive method by assessing various parts of dentin. Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study is to ascertain the age of carious tooth using Raman spectra of apical dentin and to correlate the similarity of the spectra in a defined age group. Settings and Design: Teeth of known age from Indian population (n=48) and morphology (incisors, canine, premolars, molars) indicated for extraction due to caries were allocated into four groups, i...

Forensic dentistry deals with proper handling, examination, and evaluation of dental records, which are then presented in the interest of law for justice. It plays a major role in identification of deceased individuals who cannot be identified visually or by other means after mass disasters or crimes. Digital forensics has revolutionized the traditional forensic investigations in terms of acquisition, analysis, and reporting of forensic evidence and its application is becoming common in the mass disasters, earthquakes, and terrorism...

Forensic science is a branch that deals with a wide plethora of areas such as anthropology, migration studies and criminology. Various biological samples have been utilized to assist a scientist towards getting answers to the myriad of questions in the field. Saliva is an easily available source from victim as well as aggressors, parent-child and siblings. Various tests have been devised to aid in identifying salivary sample constituents. This paper deals with the wide utility of saliva as a forensic tool.

The identification of bone and dental remains to establish identity, requested by police and judicial authorities, has increased annually because criminals have been using sophisticated methods that make this identification impractical. This study reports a murder case by charring, which creates dental and bone calcination. In 2013, a completely burned car was examined by forensic experts, containing charred, calcined human bones and teeth inside its trunk, thus an identity needed to be established. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used as a supporting method and indicated the presence of restorative materials, which were compatible and consistent with the chart and radiographic shots provided by the victim's dental surgeon...

Background: Forensic odontology plays a pivotal role in the identification of victims in mass disasters utilizing "preserved dental records" or "ante-mortem records" available with the general dental practitioners. Identification of a deceased individual by comparing antemortem and postmortem records is more reliable and easier as compared to other methods. However, in India, the practice of maintaining dental case record requires additional emphasis. Aim: The aim of the present study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of dental practitioners in South India regarding awareness and importance of maintaining patient's dental records...

Background: Osteological examination is a very reliable tool to determine the sex of the individual as the consolidation of the dimorphic characteristics concludes the sex of the individual. This study was performed with lateral cephalograms, which is a vital diagnostic tool for patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. An index was formed, which could be considered as a reliable sex determinant in forensic applications. Materials and Methods: This pilot study was performed on samples of the Dravidian population...

Context: "Identity" is a set of physical characteristics, functional or psychic, normal or pathological, that defines an individual. Identification of an individual is a crucial and an exigent task in forensic investigation. Aims: The aim of the present pilot study was to investigate the accuracy of various methods employed in gender determination such as lip prints, mandibular canine index (MCI), fingerprints, and correlation between them. Subjects and Methods: The pilot study group consisted of 300 samples aged between 18 and 25 years...

Introduction: Dental identification is a frequently applied method of forensic investigation, in mass disasters, accidents, and criminal investigations, where the human remains are decomposed, charred, or skeletonized. However, in such events, teeth may dislodge due to postmortem loss or mishandling during transporting and packaging which may further hamper with the identification of an individual. Aim: To investigate the potential for reconstruction of missing teeth utilizing dental materials...

Introduction: Assessment of age is a critical step in the identification of an individual in forensic cases. The hand-wrist radiographic evaluation and tooth development is also a useful measure of maturity because it represents a series of recognizable changes that occur in the same sequence from an initial event to a constant end point. Aim of the Study: To investigate the relationship of dental calcification stages and skeletal maturity indicators as assessed by the hand-wrist bone radiograph...

Background: Saliva has recently served as a primary investigative tool in forensics in the detection of crime, cases of sexual assaults, human and animal bite marks, poisoning, hormone identification, and alcohol and drug abuse. Aim: This scoping review aimed to comprehensively identify the role of saliva in comparative and reconstructive identification and propose the concept of salivary signature (SS) in forensics. Methodology: A literature search was performed on electronic databases, PubMed and Google Scholar with keywords, "salivary," "microbiome," and "forensics," and relevant articles identified along with reference tracking...

The Unique Identification Authority of India is a statutory authority established in 2009, which had started a campaign of issuing Aadhaar (unique identification) cards to every citizen of India under the slogan " Mera Aadhaar Meri Pehchaan " (my unique identification my identity). The government is taking all possible initiatives to make Aadhaar card the identity of an individual and is taking all measures of linking all the valid government-issued documents (such as driving license, PAN card, subsidies etc...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Human jaws and teeth show a high diversity in the morphology, which varies from individual to individual. The variation in the morphologic feature is of great importance in the forensic field for identification. A tubercle or an accessory cusp is rare but is usually seen in the mandibular molar buccal aspect. From a forensic odontologist's point of view, the features though rare and unusual are useful for identification of the victim as well as criminal. The article presents three cases showing this rarest morphologic variation, i...