Forensic odontology basics: dental identification, age estimation
Oral Pathology and Oral Microbiology · Dental (BDS)
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Interactive 3DPeel through enamel, dentin and pulp — then switch to implants, braces or dentures.
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Study notes
After a fire, fingerprints are destroyed but teeth remain. How do teeth identify the person? Teeth and restorations survive extreme heat that destroys soft tissue. The forensic odontologist charts the post-mortem dentition — missing teeth, fillings, crowns, root shapes on X-ray — and compares it with the person's ante-mortem dental records from their dentist. Matching unique combinations (e.g., a specific crown on tooth 36 plus an implant at 46) establishes identity.
Related topics
- Developmental anomalies: teeth, jaws, oral soft tissues
- Dental caries: etiology, classification, histopathology
- Diseases of pulp and periapical tissues
- Periodontal disease: gingivitis, periodontitis pathology
- Oral mucosal lesions: traumatic, infective, immune-mediated
- Potentially malignant disorders: leukoplakia, erythroplakia, OSMF, lichen planus