NCJ Number
197373
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 29 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2002 Pages: 80,82,84,86,87
Date Published
October 2002
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the use of dental records in crime solving.
Abstract
One of the four aspects of forensic odontology is comparing the teeth of a victim with antemortem dental records thought to be from the victim. After there is a tentative identification or there is physical evidence that gives clues to the identity of the person, that person’s dentist is contacted for antemortem records. While waiting for antemortem records the forensic dentist, with the help of an assistant, collects postmortem data. The forensic dentist needs to examine and X-ray the teeth. Aside from the Archimedes screw and the saw, all other instruments used to look at the teeth can be found in the dentist’s office. Checklists help keep forensic dentists from missing anything. How quickly an identification can be done depends on the availability of the antemortem dental records. In addition to complete and accurate antemortem dental records, what makes a case easy is having a complete dentition. A forensic dentist can come up with several alternatives when comparing postmortem findings with antemortem records. This includes differences between the antemortem records and the postmortem findings, explainable inconsistencies, and inconsistent findings. Bite mark analysis is subdivided into bite marks on deceased individuals and bite marks on living individuals. The objective of analyzing bite marks on deceased individuals is to compare the bite mark with the biting pattern of the suspect. The evidence for bite marks involves a series of events from culturing for saliva, ABO blood type, DNA, and microorganisms to photographing the bite mark to later making impressions and models of the bite mark to excising the bite mark and looking under the microscope. Civil cases can involve analysis of personal injuries and include injuries that affect the teeth, gums, jawbones, and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Also, when someone is suing another dentist, the forensic dentist is called upon to analyze the case for a breach in the standard of care.