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Forensic Odontology and its Medico Legal Issues


Affiliations
1 Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Tezpur Medical College, Tezpur, Assam, India
2 Department of Dentistry, Assam Medical College & Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam, India
 

Forensic Odontologists deals with the proper examination, handling and presentation of dental evidence in a court of law. They are to help in identification of bite marks on the victims of attack or in other substances such as wood, leather and food stuffs and to compare bite marks with the teeth of a suspect and presentation of this evidence in court as an expert witness. They are to identify unknown bodies through dental records and to estimate age from teeth; however forensic Odontologist can still contribute to the identity investigation in the absence of dental records through profiling the deceased using features related to teeth. Teeth with their physiologic variations, pathos and effect of therapy record information that remains throughout life and beyond. This article explores an insight to forensic odontology and outlines some of its medico-legal applications in criminal investigations.

Keywords

Odontology, Dental Records, Identification, Violence.
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  • Forensic Odontology and its Medico Legal Issues

Abstract Views: 221  |  PDF Views: 91

Authors

Mahanta Putul
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Tezpur Medical College, Tezpur, Assam, India
Ullah Md. Kalim
Department of Dentistry, Assam Medical College & Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam, India

Abstract


Forensic Odontologists deals with the proper examination, handling and presentation of dental evidence in a court of law. They are to help in identification of bite marks on the victims of attack or in other substances such as wood, leather and food stuffs and to compare bite marks with the teeth of a suspect and presentation of this evidence in court as an expert witness. They are to identify unknown bodies through dental records and to estimate age from teeth; however forensic Odontologist can still contribute to the identity investigation in the absence of dental records through profiling the deceased using features related to teeth. Teeth with their physiologic variations, pathos and effect of therapy record information that remains throughout life and beyond. This article explores an insight to forensic odontology and outlines some of its medico-legal applications in criminal investigations.

Keywords


Odontology, Dental Records, Identification, Violence.

References