Forensic Dentistry. Our Teeth Tell A Tale!

Forensic Dentistry is a specialized field that focuses on examining teeth and bite patterns, usually of a deceased person. You’ve probably seen or heard about it on TV – that in order to identify a body, dental records had to be used. This is a perfect example of where a Forensic Dentist comes in.

A Forensic Dentist performs all of the functions and roles of a regular dentist, however, they have also received special training that allows them to work alongside other forensic specialists, usually doctors, coroners, investigators, and the police. Let’s take a closer look at how this specialty field can assist law enforcement.

Teeth and Identification

Identification of the deceased is one of the most common things a Forensic Dentist does. In many cases, the police will have a body that they are unable to identify, due to things like massive injury such as in an accident or fire, or how badly the body is decomposed. In these situations, the deceased is not identifiable simply by viewing the facial features, and if the person’s fingerprints are no longer available, there is really only one other way to identify who the person was.

Just like bones, teeth do not decompose. So if none of the other methods of identification are available, a Forensic Dentist can check a database of dental records to see if there is a match. Just like fingerprints, a person’s teeth and bite pattern are one hundred percent unique to them – no other person will ever have the exact same bite pattern.

As unfortunate as the events of 9/11 were, it was thanks to Forensic Dentistry that many families were able to receive confirmation that they’d lost a loved one, because their remains were identified through dental records. At the very least, these families were able to have closure rather than never knowing for sure what happened to their family member.

Injury and Fraud

A Forensic Dentist is able to identify particular types of injuries that occur to the head, face and neck, based on the state of the person’s teeth and bite. Commonly, Forensic Dentistry is used in situations where there is a question of liability, perhaps a car accident where the question of fault is undetermined.

This type of practice is also used to determine cases of fraud where a person may be claiming the suffered an injury recently, that was actually a pre-existing injury they had prior to the accident. Using the patient’s dental records, a Forensic Dentist can compare before and after images to determine the type of injury the person has suffered, and in most cases, how it occurred. This is not limited to situations where an accident occurred. Dental records can also determine whether or not a person was assaulted by being bitten.

Teeth and Time of Death

The general condition of teeth can help determine many different things about a deceased person. Based on the condition of the teeth and existing dental work, a Forensic Dentist can create what’s called a Dental Profile. This profile can be used to determine things such as race and ancestral background, socio-economic status, gender, and sometimes even the time of death.

Teeth and DNA

Forensic Dentistry can tell a lot not only about a victim, but about a perpetrator. As we discussed previously, a person can be identified by their teeth and bite patterns. Additionally, in criminal cases where a victim has been bitten during an attack, it’s highly likely that the perpetrator has left behind traces of DNA from their saliva. This DNA can be used to identify an attacker if their DNA is on file. To add to this, the bite patterns and DNA that are left on other items such as food, a drinking cup, or anything else that comes in contact with the person’s teeth, can also be used for identification purposes.

Another important thing to note is that in cases where a person may not have dental records available, DNA can often be extracted from the teeth of the deceased to aid in identification.

Malpractice Lawsuits

Forensic Dentistry can play an important role in cases of malpractice lawsuits both dental and medical. Based on existing X-rays and bite impressions, a case can be made for or against a practitioner who is being sued for malpractice. The Forensic Dentist can help in cases not just related to teeth, but also to injuries or damage to the facial bones, jaw, tongue and other structures within the mouth.

How It All Began

The science of Forensic Dentistry continues to be on the cutting edge, continually evolving as new techniques are developed. But it’s interesting to note that the practices were in use as far back as 46 AD. You’ve probably read the story about Nero’s mother – she was able to identify the deceased mistress of her husband simply by recognizing a single discolored tooth.

During the Revolutionary War, dental records were commonly used to identify deceased soldiers and other casualties of the war.

Forensic Dentistry and Evolution

The study of teeth goes back a long way, and can provide us with a wealth of information about our ancestors. In fact, if you’ve ever visited a museum, you’d remember seeing a lot of displays that included the teeth of civilizations past. Here are just a few of the reasons why this history is so important:

• Studying how teeth have evolved over the centuries gives us a better understanding of the evolution of man.
• Because in the early days, things like the bubonic plague were identified through dental bacteria, we can better learn how disease is spread and prevented.
• Provides an understanding of how early man used their teeth to eat (back then there were no luxuries like prepackaged ready to eat meals – the teeth were absolutely necessary for proper nutrition, because they were used more as tools to rip, grind and shred food, whereas nowadays, much of what we eat is soft and doesn’t require as much force to chew. Teaches us about early dental treatments like dental extractions

Summary

As you can see, Forensic Dentistry is an important science for many reasons, most importantly, as a means to help identify victims and perpetrators of crime.

The post Forensic Dentistry. Our Teeth Tell A Tale! appeared first on Enhance Dental Centre.