Odontology: Dentistry and Bite Marks
Forensic Odontology
In cases of mass disasters, fires, murders and many other scenarios the use of forensic Odontology is the key to identification. Without the mastery of forensic dentistry the investigation process and identification of victims and perpetrators would be nearly impossible. Forensic Odontology is the application of the arts and science of dentistry to the legal system. Included in the application of Odontology are the use of dentition, bite mark identification and the analysis of negligence. Before one can begin to greatly appreciate the use of this method, the knowledge of its history is of key importance. The earliest dated use of forensic dentistry is in the 1st century A.D. when wife of Roman Emperor Claudius wanted to see the decapitated head if his mistress. His mistress had a discolored front tooth and could easily be identified. Also, King William the Conqueror bit his mail to seal soft wax, enclosing the letters. When doing so, the King would create an outline of his angled teeth in the wax. Another example of this investigation in history indicated 1776 when Paul Revere used a denture to identify an old friend and patient from the battle of Bunker Hill. The United States court system did not adopt this system of dentistry until the mid 1800's. The first recorded mass disaster to use Odontology was the Vienna Opera House fire in 1849. Then, approximately 100 years later human bite marks were permitted in court for identifying a biting assailant (James, Nordby). The advancement of science and technology in the application of forensic dentistry has greatly advanced within the past 50 years. Patient x-rays, records and photographs became more widely used in the 80's, and advanced cameras were able to detail teeth and mass disasters. However, the education of forensic dentistry is paid little attention to while the need for these technicians continues to increase. The process of becoming a forensic dentist requires a
In cases of mass disasters, fires, murders and many other scenarios the use of forensic Odontology is the key to identification. Without the mastery of forensic dentistry the investigation process and identification of victims and perpetrators would be nearly impossible. Forensic Odontology is the application of the arts and science of dentistry to the legal system. Included in the application of Odontology are the use of dentition, bite mark identification and the analysis of negligence. Before one can begin to greatly appreciate the use of this method, the knowledge of its history is of key importance. The earliest dated use of forensic dentistry is in the 1st century A.D. when wife of Roman Emperor Claudius wanted to see the decapitated head if his mistress. His mistress had a discolored front tooth and could easily be identified. Also, King William the Conqueror bit his mail to seal soft wax, enclosing the letters. When doing so, the King would create an outline of his angled teeth in the wax. Another example of this investigation in history indicated 1776 when Paul Revere used a denture to identify an old friend and patient from the battle of Bunker Hill. The United States court system did not adopt this system of dentistry until the mid 1800's. The first recorded mass disaster to use Odontology was the Vienna Opera House fire in 1849. Then, approximately 100 years later human bite marks were permitted in court for identifying a biting assailant (James, Nordby). The advancement of science and technology in the application of forensic dentistry has greatly advanced within the past 50 years. Patient x-rays, records and photographs became more widely used in the 80's, and advanced cameras were able to detail teeth and mass disasters. However, the education of forensic dentistry is paid little attention to while the need for these technicians continues to increase. The process of becoming a forensic dentist requires a
Cited: 1. Stewart H. James and Jon J. Nordby, Forensic Science: An Introduction to Scientific and Investigative Techniques. Second Edition. (Taylor and Francis Group 2005). 2. http://www.abfo.org/bitemark.htm. ABFO Bitemark Methodology Guidelines. January 8, 2008. 3. http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:lfDoeKh0cAUJ:www.cmj.hr/2001/42/6/11740850.pdf+Scandinavian+Star+identification+process&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=9&gl=us. "Dental Identification after Two Mass Disasters in Croatia" by Jelena Dumanèiæ, Zvonimir Kaiæ, Vera Njemirovskij, Hrvoje Brkiæ in Croatia Medical Journal 2001;42:657-662. 4. http://www.fire.org.uk/marine/papers/scanstar.htm. "The Scandinavian Star Incident: A Case Study" by Alan Robinson, BSc, MSc, PhD - Partner, Dr J.H. Burgoyne & Partners in IFE Journal. January 1999 5. http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?lang=en&show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=4555. "The Scandinavian Star" Ferry Disaster of 1990. Experiences and Recommendation for Record in Dental Practices by Solhem T. Department of Pathology and Forensic Odontology, University of Oslo, Norway 2003.