EDITORIAL
Forensic Odontology
Thorakkal Shamim
Forensic odontology is a specialized field of dentistry
related to legal problem.1 It is one of the most rapidly
developing branches of forensic medicine and forensic
science. This branch gives immense importance to
dental evidence for the identification of victims and
suspects in mass disasters, abuse and organized
crimes. This relatively small speciality within the forensic
sciences has been utilized for many years, principally in
the area of establishing identity.
Forensic odontology can be defined in many ways.1 The
Federation Dentaire Internationale (FDI) defines
forensic odontology as 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.1
According to the American Society of Forensic
Odontology, forensic odontology is by definition, the
application of dental science to the law, i.e. the use of
dental evidence in the interest of justice.
Based on the major fields of activity, Avon classified
forensic odontology into civil, criminal and research.2
The civil field is concerned with mass disasters such as
airline accidents, earthquakes or train accidents which
require identification of the victims in advanced stages of
physical destruction. It is also concerned with
malpractice and different types of fraud and neglect
where damage may be sought. It also deals with the age
assessment of individuals such as in cases of teen
marriages in the absence of any birth document and in
the case of accident victims who are suffering from
amnesia who may have to be identified. The criminal
field is concerned with the identification of persons from
their dental remains alone in cases of homicide, rape or
suicide through bitemark analysis, palatal rugoscopy
and cheiloscopy. Finally, the research field is devoted to
forensic odontology training for medical and dental
professionals.
The use of dental identification appears in scattered
instances throughout recorded history and primitive
forms of dental identification may have been used in pre-
historic times. According to the old testament of the
Bible, Adam was convinced by Eve to put a 'bitemark' on
Government Taluk Head Quarters Hospital, Nilambur, India.
Correspondence: Dr. Thorakkal Shamim, Shangrila, Parappanangadi-
676303, India.
E-mail: shamu3duad@rediffmail.com
Received October 22, 2009; accepted November 14, 2009.
Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan 2010, Vol. 20 (1): 1-2
the apple. This was the first reported evidence of
bitemark in the history of mankind. The late President of
Pakistan, General Zia-ul-Haq died in the year 1988 in a
plane crash due to an explosion. He was identified from
his dentition.3 The late Indian Prime Minister Mr. Rajiv
Gandhi was assassinated in a terrorist attack in 1991
and was also identified from his dentition.3
Dental tissue is often preserved indefinitely after death.
A complete charting of dentition using FDI system or
any other nomenclature should be done.1 The type of
dentition (either permanent or deciduous) and surfaces
of teeth involved should be evaluated. Teeth, periodontal
tissues and normal anatomical features are assessed in
comparative dental identification. Odontograms
(symbolic pictorial description of dentition) form a basic
outline to compare dental characteristics at the simplest
level.1
The science of bitemark analysis is a vital area in
forensic odontology and has been instrumental in
criminal investigations of homicide, sexual assault and
abuse cases.4 The most common method used to
document and preserve bite mark evidence is through
the use of photography. The bite site should be
photographed using conventional photography and
following the guidelines described by the ABFO
(American Board of Forensic Odontology) bite mark
analysis guidelines. ABFO have developed a scale
(ABFO scale No.2) to compare bite marks. Bite marks
can also be interpreted through soft tissue radiography.
This has the advantage of penetrating the tissue, there
by revealing damage that might not be observed in the
photographic approach. Xeroradiography, contrast
enhanced radiography and overlays can also add
valuable information and should be considered as an
adjunct to standard photographic procedures. Human
dentition is influenced by genetic factors and
environmental factors that determine the position of the
teeth in the arch. The dentist in practice observes the
individuality of human dentition commonly but there is
no database to express quantitatively this uniqueness of
human dentition. More research is required to
investigate bite mark accuracy and reliability in forensic
odontology.
Age assessment using teeth provides the most reliable
guide in the process of identification.5 Various methods
are utilized including the visual method, radiographic
method, histological method and physical and chemical
analysis. Eruption sequence, neonatal line formation,
incremental lines of Retzius, Schour and Massler chart
1
Thorakkal Shamim
(to estimate dental age in developing dentition) and
Gustafson's method are important parameters in age
estimation. Gustafson studied the changes occurring in
individual teeth and succeeded in estimating age with
some accuracy. He used 6 dental changes connected
with aging namely, attrition, apical migration of
periodontal ligament, deposition of secondary dentin,
cemental opposition, root resorption and transparency
of the root dentin.
Forensic odontology embraces all dental specialities.
Hence, it is almost impossible to segregate this branch
from other dental specialities. Appreciation of the
forensic field should give the dental clinician another
reason to maintain legible and legally acceptable
records and assist legal authorities in the identification
of victims and suspects.The forensic odontologist
should have a broad background knowledge of general
dentistry, encompassing all dental specialities and he
should have basic knowledge of the role of the forensic
pathologist and the methods used in autopsy.6
Unfortunately, in India, probably due to the lack of proper
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2 Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan 2010, Vol. 20 (1): 1-2
awareness, neither the government nor the people have
completely understood the role that can be played by a
forensic dentist.
REFERENCES
1. Shamim T, Ipe Varughese V, Shameena PM, Sudha S. Forensic
odontology: a new perspective. Medicolegal Update 2006; 6:1-4.
2. Avon SL. Forensic odontology: the roles and responsibilities of
the dentist. J Can Dent Assoc 2004; 70:453-8.
3. Shamim T, Sudha S, Shameena PM, Ipe Varghese V. An insight
to forensic odontology. Kerala Dent J 2006; 29:45-7.
4. Shamim T, Ipe Varghese V, Shameena PM, Sudha S. Human
bitemarks: the tool marks of the oral cavity. J Indian Acad
Forensic Med 2006; 28:52-4.
5. Shamim T, Ipe Varghese V, Shameena PM, Sudha S.
Age estimation: a dental approach. J Punjab Acad Forensic Med Toxicol
2006; 6:14-6.
6. Shamim T, Ipe Varghese V, Shameena PM, Mahesh MR.
Forensic odontology to the rescue: a case report. Medicolegal
Update 2006; 6:115-8.
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