NCJ Number
192037
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 46 Issue: 6 Dated: November 2001 Pages: 1379-1384
Date Published
November 2001
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This paper reports on a retrospective review of the cases that required forensic dental identification in the Greater Houston (Texas) area in the recent past.
Abstract
In order to confirm the identity of the deceased, 1.7 percent of the deaths (162 cases) evaluated at the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office during the time period of this study required a forensic dental evaluation. Data were collected and analyzed. The manner of death was ranked in order as follows: 30 percent homicide; 20 percent accidents of various types other than motor vehicle accidents; 18 percent motor vehicle accidents; 16 percent remain undetermined; 9 percent natural causes; and 7 percent suicide. The causes of death were asphyxia, smoke inhalation, or thermal burn injuries (24 percent); blunt-force trauma (23 percent); miscellaneous causes of death (18 percent); undetermined (15 percent); gunshot wounds (13 percent); and asphyxia (7 percent). The conditions of the remains were charred or incinerated (38 percent); decomposing (31 percent); skeletal remains (18 percent); "fresh" or recently deceased (6 percent); fragmented (4 percent); and severely beaten or mangled, with displacement of the maxillomandibular region, complicating the dental identification procedure (3 percent). The decedents were 62 percent male, 34 percent female, and 4 percent undetermined. Races of the decedents were 55 percent Caucasian; 19 percent Hispanic; 14 percent black; 1 percent Asian; and 11 percent undetermined. The ages were 0-10 (2 percent); 11-20 (9 percent); 21 to 30 (21 percent); 31-40 (18 percent); 41-50 (13 percent); 51-60 (8 percent); 61-70 (5 percent); 71-80 (4 percent); 81-90 (1 percent); and 19 percent undetermined. Further evaluation of these and future dental identification cases will provide valuable data to help prepare forensic dentists for the wide variety of cases that must be evaluated in the course of their careers. 8 figures and 5 references