The Untold Story: How Teeth Help Solve Mysteries

Have you ever wondered how investigators identify unknown remains? While fingerprints and DNA are often at the forefront of forensic science, teeth and dental work also play a crucial role. This is the domain of the fascinating field of forensic dentistry, or formally known as forensic odontology.

Why Identify?

Identifying a body goes beyond simply closing a case. For families, it brings closure and allows them to properly mourn their loved one. It can also be crucial for legal and inheritance purposes. Forensic dentistry plays a vital role in this process, especially in situations where traditional methods like fingerprints and facial recognition are difficult due to decomposition, trauma, or fire.

The Power of Teeth

Teeth are incredibly durable. Enamel, which is the outermost layer of teeth, is the hardest structure in the human body. That coupled with the fact that teeth are protected by thick facial skin often keep them well preserved in traumatic incidents. This makes them a valuable source of information for forensic dentists. Here's how they use teeth and jaws for identification:

Dental Records: For starters, the dentist must have an idea as to the possible identity of the deceased, or at least a list of possibilities in the case of a mass tragedy. Dental records are then requested for those people. The upper and lower jaws are typically dissected and x rays of the teeth are taken. A side by side comparison is then conducted of the ante and post mortem x-rays.

Dental Work and Anatomy: Being that all dental work is literally fabricated by hand and no two restorations are alike, that makes it as unique as fingerprints. That is truly where the lock and key science comes into play. In instances where the deceased has no dental restorations or only a few teeth have been recovered, forensics then relies on human anatomy. The shapes and positions of teeth and roots and even bone morphology can play a vital role in identification.

A Silent Witness

Forensic dentistry is a valuable tool for law enforcement and may be the only way to offer solace to families during a difficult time. It is therefore imperative that all people receive dental care and that all dentists keep impeccable records.