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Forensic OdontologyDr. Iain Pretty BDS (Hons), MSc, PhD, MFDSRCS (Ed)
Welcome to the fascinating world of forensic odontology. I hope the find the following information and resources useful. What is Forensic Odontology?
The British Association for Forensic Odontology (BAFO) notes that forensic odontology is a branch of forensic medicine and, in the interests of justice, deals with the proper examination, handling and presentation of dental evidence in a court of law. In terms of what forensic odontologists actually do BAFO states that the work of a forensic odontologist indludes: Bitemark Resources
Easy Guide To Bitemarks: This guide tells you all about human bitemarks. It explains how bitemarks are recognized and gives details of evidence collection techniques and how to analyze the injuries. Click Here To Access The Bitemark Guide Contentious Areas of Human Bitemarks:
Just how unique are these teeth? In a select population, how many people would have teeth like this? This forensic dentistry resource article presents a discussion of the scientific basis for human bitemark analyses. Using a review of the literature, the major areas of contention within the field are discussed; the accuracy of bitemarks on skin, the uniqueness of the human dentition, and analytical techniques. Click Here To Access The Contentious Areas of Human Bitemarks Article American Board of Forensic Odontology: Bitemark Guidelines:
There is a need for forensic dentists to agree on basic methodology used in bitemark cases so as to maximize the quality, completeness and validity of the collection and analysis of bitemark evidence. It is not expected that this document is ideal to all forensic dentists. However, it represents majority opinions and has the highest level of acceptance to the largest number of odontologists. Click Here To Access The ABFO Bitemark Guidelines The Bitemark Severity & Forensic Significance Scale: The Bitemark Severity & Forensic Significance scale ranges from 1 to 6. To see a graphical representation of a bitemark within each scale range just click on the following link. Please note that some of the images are garphic in nature. Click Here To Access The The Bitemark Severity & Significance Scale Identification Resources
Easy Guide To Identifications: The most common role of the forensic dentist is the identification of deceased individuals. Dental identification takes two main forms. Firstly, the most frequently performed examination is a comparative identification that is used to establish (to a high degree of certainty) that the remains of a decedent and a person represented by antemortem (before death) dental records are the same individual. Information from the body or circumstances usually contains clues as to who has died. Secondly, in those cases where antemortem records are not available, and no clues to the possible identity exist, a postmortem (after death) dental profile is completed by the forensic dentist suggesting characteristics of the individual likely to narrow the search for the antemortem materials. This guide tells you all about how forensic dentists identify deceased people. A range of different techniques are illustrated. Click Here To Access The Forensic Dentists Identification Guide American Board of Forensic Odontology: Identification Guidelines:
Forensic dentistry has provided accurate identifications in mass disasters and in routine cases over the past years, but there have been cases where misidentifications have occurred. The objective of these guidelines is to provide guidance to the forensic dentist and are dedicated to the concept of greater accuracy in forensic dentistry. Click Here To Access The ABFO Identification Guidelines Dental Postmortem Profiling Guide:
What other things can you tell about someone from their teeth? The quality and/or type of dentistry can often tell us where an individual received that treatment. This can prove valuable information in the search for antemortem records. In the picture above, the dental work was performed in Russia and is a classic example of the type of dentistry performed in the former Soviet Union. The dental postmortem profiling guide highlights a range of profiling factors which you may want to note. While each, on their own, cannot identify an individual, they can all help to produce a more accurate profile of the deceased. Click Here To Access The ADental Postmortem Profiling Guide Dental Records: Dental professionals are compelled by law and duty of care to produce and maintain adequate patient records. This review article discusses some of the salient features of good records, access to records, record retention, records in malpractice and the use of dental records in forensic identifications. With the increasing awareness amongst the general public of legal issues surrounding health care, and with the worrying rise in malpractice cases a thorough knowledge of dental record issues is essential for any practitioner – especially those who are just beginning their careers.Please note that this document refers to the legal situation with England and Wales only. Click Here To Access The Dental Records Review Identification Quiz: This is an opportunity to test your ability with some real forensic examples. Click on the following link and take look at the radiographs (x-rays) presented to determine if you think it is a positive or a negative identification. Remember that there may have been a time interval between each set of radiographs of many years. In each example, Antemortem (before death) radiographs are on the top, and postmortem (after death) are on the botttom. Click Here To Take The Identification Quiz Essential Forensic Odontology ReadingBitemark Evidence By Robert Dorion
Book Information The first stand-alone textbook on the subject, this reference compiles the expertise and recommendations of a team of 21 eminent specialists from the disciplines of forensic odontology, DNA analysis, pathology, and jurisprudence to illustrate the many facets of bitemark recognition, diagnosis, handling, excision, lifting, transillumination, storage, preservation, transportation, analysis, and comparison. With more than 543 black and white photographs and 32 full-color pages, the book illustrates animal and human bitemarks on the living, the deceased, and on objects, incorporating sections on the history of bitemark evidence, salivary DNA, genotypic comparison of oral bacteria, and more. See following link for more details: Bitemark Evidence (Forensic Science) Visitors From The UK Click Here Quality Forensic Odontology LinksForensic Dentistry Online:
Click Here To Visit The Website The British Association for Forensic Odontology:
Click Here To Visit The Website Bureau Of Legal Dentistry:
BOLD is a forensic odontology laboratory at the University of British Columbia. It is the first and only laboratory in North America that is dedicated to full-time forensic dentistry research, casework and graduate teaching. It is the place where laboratory discoveries and modern forensic methods are applied to dental evidence to assist in the resolution of legal issues. BOLD is a centre of excellence that aims to act as a resource for odontologists and other forensic scientists who deal with teeth, bones, saliva, DNA and dental records. Experts here can provide assistance with: Click Here To Visit The Website Help Support This Website
A great collection of forensic science gift ideas will soon be added to our Personality Trait CafePress Store. A forensic odontology gift range has already been added, see following video. Any profit made from the Personality Trait CafePress store will be put towards the hosting costs associated with the All About Forensic Psychology website, and the All About Forensic Science website, thereby helping to safeguard their continued production and development. Forensic Science A-Z (Odontology) You can visit the Personality Trait CafePress Store by Clicking Here Go From Forensic Odontology Back To The Home Page
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