Dental Identification

Establishing a person's identity can be a very difficult process. Dental, fingerprint and DNA comparisons are probably the most common techniques used in this context, allowing fast and secure identification processes. However, since they cannot always be used, sometimes it is necessary to apply different and less known techniques. In this paper, the authors describe two unusual techniques: cheiloscopy and palatoscopy. It is known that due to their special features, both lip grooves and palatal rugae can be used successfully in human identification. This paper reviews the techniques of cheiloscopy and palatoscopy, and describes the different classifications and their advantages and limitations.

Forensic dentistry can be defined in many ways. One of the more elegant definitions is simply that forensic dentistry represents the overlap between the dental and the legal professions. This two-part series presents the field of forensic dentistry by outlining two of the major aspects of the profession: human identification and bite marks. This first paper examines the use of the human dentition and surrounding structures to enable the identification of found human remains. Conventional and novel techniques are presented.

The great demand for esthetic restorations has resulted in placement of large numbers of composite resin fillings. The popularity of these materials is reflected in the quantity and variety of resin brands currently on the market. The ability to distinguish resin brands can aid in positive identification of burn victims, assuming that appropriate dental records exist. Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) was used to characterize the structure and composition of 10 modern resins. The structure of each resin was unique to manufacturer, and elemental analysis allowed separation into distinct groups. These 10 resins were also placed in extracted teeth and incinerated at 900 degrees C for 30 min, simulating near cremation conditions. The resins were identifiable by SEM/EDS after incineration, and the elemental composition remained almost unchanged. The data produced are immediately useful for resin identification in forensics, and comparative analysis can be readily performed using standard equipment. This work represents the initial stage of database generation.