I have never talked about forensic odontology before so I thought I’d talk a bit about it.
Forensic dentistry or forensic odontology is the proper handling, examination and evaluation of dental evidence, which will be then presented in the interest of justice. The evidence that may be derived from teeth, is the age (in children) and identification of the person to whom the teeth belong. This is done using dental records or antemortem (prior to death) photographs. Forensic odontology is derived from latin, meaning forum or where legal matters are discussed. The first forensic dentist in the United States was Dr. Paul Revere who was known for the identification of fallen revolutionary soldiers.
The other type of evidence is that of bite marks, left on either the victim (by the attacker), the perpetrator, or on an object found at the crime scene. Bite marks are often found on children who are abused.
Forensic dentists are responsible for six main areas of practice:
* Identification of found human remains
* Identification in mass fatalities
* Assessment of bite mark injuries
* Assessment of cases of abuse (child, spousal, elder)
* Civil cases involving malpractice
* Age estimation
- Brandon Anderson
