Hereditary and environmental dental findings in identification of human remains

The paper presents the results on hereditary and environmental dental findings in identification of human remains exhumed from mass graves in the Republic of Croatia. The total of 17,880 teeth from all the categories (incisors, canines, premolars and molars) was examined. Hereditary findings of the teeth such as shape, size, position, as well as age were used in all of the cases confirming and completing the identification. In only 15% of the cases they were the starting points for the identification that would be later confirmed with another 3-5 traditional identification procedures. Disturbances in tooth eruption were recorded in 22% of the cases, impaction of teeth in 10%, and retarded eruption of teeth in 12%. Disturbances of tooth position were recorded in 65% of the cases. Tooth rotation in 26% and diastema mediana in maxilla or mandible in 39%. Disorders of tooth number in the form of unilateral and bilateral missing of lateral maxillary incisors were recorded only in 2% of the monitored cases. Abnormalities of the tooth shape were found in 11% of the cases. The majority of them were found on the tooth crowns 6%, and less on the tooth roots 5%. Environmental dental findings that were the most significant for the identifications were prosthetic appliances in 30% of cases. Prostheses were helpful in the identification of 3% of the cases, while crowns and bridges were helpful in 27% of the cases. Ante mortem teeth extractions were helpful in 25% of the cases. Teeth restorations were recorded in 20% of the identified cases, amalgams in 19% and aesthetic filings in 1%. Dental caries was helpful in only 10% of the cases, superficial caries in 3% and caries of dentin in 7% of cases.