§ Forensic odontology:
It deals with the science of dentistry to aid in the administration of justice.
§ Medicolegal importance:
1. Definite identification of a body from dental data can be made, if accurate & dated records are available.
2. Teeth are useful in estimating the age of an individual.
3. Loss of tooth due to assault is grievous hurt.
4. Dentures, partial or complete are useful in identification.
5. Criminals can be identified through bite marks left either in human tissues or in food stuffs.
§ Role of forensic odontology in detection of crime:
A. Regarding identification of the subject:
2. Sex of the person.
3. Age of the person.
4. Identification of the person is possible from the occupational marks.
5. Blood group of the person from pulp tissue.
6. Individual features like gap between two teeth, total number of teeth,missing of teeth, missing of a part of tooth, condition of the crown, presence of cavity.
7. Habit of the person like-betel chewing, tobacco habit.
8. Depression and elevation on the teeth are said to be individualistic.
9. Teeth resist decomposition. So in extremely decomposed dead bodies and where body is mostly burnt, teeth may be well preserved and help identification.
10. In mass disaster like, aviation accident, when the body parts of the victims are fragmented and destroyed, teeth and artificial denture may help identification. Artificial denture may bear the particulars of the manufacturer inscribed, with whom the identity of the victim may be available.
B. Grievous hurt- Crack or fracture of a tooth or its dislocation amounts to grievous hurt.
C. Incase of death due to poisoning with heavy metal like, arsenic, the same can be detected from the teeth after loang time of death.
D. An offender can be detected from bite mark, he might have left some material like, some food substance on the body of victim.
E. Teeth bite marks on the breast of near the private parts of a woman are supportive of sexual offence having been committed on her.
F. Artificial denture may be the cause of accidental death due to choking.
determine the age of an infant:
The age of an infant, can be determined the physical or morphological features including secondary sexual characteristics, eruption of teeth and ossification and other changes in the bones.
§ Within 15 days after birth: Skin becomes pale. Changes occur in the umbilical cord and umbilicus. The thin layer of stitch starts falling off from over the chest and abdomen by 4th and 5th day after birth and from other parts of the body by 6th and 7th day after birth. Nucleated RBC’s disappear from articulation with in 24 hours after birth.
§ During the 1st 3 months: The infant grows in length by about 1mm per day, and it gains in weight by about 15gm, per day. Posterior fontanelle closes, the infant responds to different stimuli. Foetal haemoglobin reduces in percentage, centres for capitate and hamate appear. Foramen ovalae closes in the triad month.
§ Between 3 months to 6 months: Body length and body weight increases in the same rates as in the 1st 3 months. Further reduction of the foetal haemoglobin occurs. Two haves of the mandibles unite at the symphysis menti, temporary lower central incisor teeth may erupt.
§ Between 6 months to 1 year: Temporary incisors and temporary 1st molar teeth erupt. Ossification centers for capitate, hamate, lower end of radius hear and capitulum of humerus and head of femur appears.
So, In this way age of infant can be determined.
