Forensic Odontology Question And Answers

Forensic Odontology Question And Answers

Question 1. Write short note on method of age estimation of forensic odontology.
Answer. Forensic odontology is concerned with the identification of both living and deceased person.

Age Estimation

• Chronological age assessment may be important factor in establishing the identity of living or deceased person.
• It is also important in legal proceedings when specific charges for particular offence may depend or whether alleged offender is a juvenile.
• Visual observation: Stage of eruption of teeth and evidence of function such as attrition can give and approximate estimate of age.
• Radiography: It can provide a great detail, gross stage of dental development of dentition.
• Histological: It requires preparation of tissue for detailed, microscopic examination which can determine more accurately the stage of development of dentition.
• Physical and chemical analysis: It is done to determine alteration in ion levels with age have been proposed.

Question 2. Write short note on methods of person identification of forensic odontology.
Answer. The method of person identification depends on:

• Relative resistance of mineralized dental tissues and dental restoration to changes resulting from decomposition or harsh environment extremes such as condition of temperature and violent physical forces.
• Unique individual characteristic of dentition and dental restoration.
• Availability of documentation of antemortem status of dentition in form of dental treatment records and diagnostic radiographs.
  • Each individual has 32 teeth with 5 surfaces
  • Teeth extracted after death leave completely different socket from those removed during life
  • When tooth is removed or dental work of any sort is carried out the teeth pattern is changed and record may exist with dentist
  • In natural decomposition, teeth are practically indestructible
  • Teeth are not easily destroyed by fire
  • Teeth as well as dentures made of acrylic resin are resistant to action of corrosive acids
  • Identification from data of authenticated teeth depends entirely on accuracy and completeness of authenticated records made during life. The record include:
    • Number and situation of teeth present and lost.
    • Arrangement irregularities, erosion, caries fillings, bridge crown work and dentures.
    • Exact shape of edentulous arch.
  • Faulty development

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Teeth may be undersized, oversized, notched or present with some other irregularity as result of faulty development and malformation.

• Faulty alignment:
  • Defect in alignment may be in space between the teeth.
  • Over bite and cross bite are present.

Stains

• Pan chewing habit stains the teeth with dark brown and black stains.
• Yellow or dark brown stain on back of incisor is common in cigarette smokers.
• Chalky white or yellowish brown areas of discoloration are found in fluorosis.
• Metal poisoning may cause pigmentation of gums.
• Copper cause green line mercury and lead to blue black line on gums:
  • Localized wear on certain teeth, e.g. pipe smokers, occupation of tailors, hair dressers
  • Missing tooth.

Antemortem loss of teeth is due to trauma at or near time of death and frequently associated with fracture of thin bony plate surrounding alveolus.

Question 3. Write short note on forensic odontology.
Answer. Forensic odontology is that branch of dentistry which in the interest of justice deals with the proper handling and examination of dental evidence and with the proper evaluation and presentation of dental findings.

Federation Dentaire Internationale (FDI)

Scope of Forensic Odontology

• Identification: It helps in personal identification, i.e. individually or in mass disasters. This is done also through comparison of antemortem and postmortem dental information.
• Age assessment: This is done for assessing the age of person.
• Record preparation: Correct handling as well as examination of presentation of dental evidence in civil and criminal legal cases. These records make the foundation on which the complete legal case depends.
• Identification of bite marks: It is involved in identification of bite marks in criminal cases.
• Child abuse: For detection of child abuse or human abuse too.
• Lip print: For comparison and identification of suspect, lip prints are examined.
• Legal aspect: In cases with dental traumatology.

Question 4. Write short note on bite mark analysis.
Answer. Bite mark is defined as marks caused by teeth alone or in combination with other oral parts. These can be on the skin or on inanimate objects like foods, cigarette etc.

Procedure for Bite Marks Analysis

Description of Bite Marks

• Demographic description
• Anatomic location including surface, contour, color, size, and shape.

Collection of Evidence from Victim

• Photography is essential to document bite marks and it should be initiated early and sequentially.
• The photographs should be in color and black and white with and without scale.
• Stains for elastic and collagen fibers and standard hematoxylin and eosin stain are useful.
• Using absorption elution techniques and electrophoresis, a serological “fingerprint” can be developed to help individualize the assailant.
• The suspect bite mark, after being photographed is swabbed with cotton moistened in saline, bottled, labeled, and refrigerated for processing by a forensic serologist.

Collection of Evidence from Suspect

• Only after the legal consent has been obtained.
• It includes photographs, casts, and saliva samples.

Analysis of All Evidence:

• If adequate photographs have been obtained then the bite marks can be digitalized and viewed three dimensionally.
• The same is true with any impressions that might be relative to the case. These tool marks can be compared in detail.
• The addition of computer manipulation to tool mark identification has added greatly to the possibilities of bite mark analysis.
• Recent advances for collecting and analyzing B evidence are xeroradiography, transillumination, videotape analysis, superimposition technique, scanning microscopy, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fingerprinting.

Conclusion of Bite Marks Analysis

• Definite biter: Presence of reasonable medical certainty which indicate that bite mark is produced by suspect’s dentition.
• Probable biter: There is some degree of specificity to suspect’s teeth by sufficient number of matching points.
• Possible biter: Suspect’s teeth could make the bite mark and there are no characteristic matches for certainty. Similarity of class characteristics is seen.
• Not the biter: Bite marks and suspect’s dentition is not consistent