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Endodontic imaging as an aid to forensic personal identification
Alexander Stewart Forrest1, Henry Yuan-Heng Wu
1School of Biomolecular and Physical Sciences, Griffith University Nathan Campus, Nathan, Queensland, Australia. a.forrest@griffith.edu.au
Summary
Dental radiographs offer a more reliable method for identifying missing persons than written records. Comparing post-mortem and ante-mortem radiographs enhances accuracy in forensic odontology.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Odontology
- Radiology
- Identification Science
Background:
- Dental records are crucial for identifying missing persons.
- Written dental records are prone to errors and misinterpretation.
- Radiographs provide objective, detailed representations of dentition.
Observation:
- Comparing post-mortem and ante-mortem radiographs under similar conditions increases identification accuracy.
- Post-treatment endodontic radiographs offer a rich source of unique features.
- Endodontic restorations are less frequently altered than intra-coronal ones.
Findings:
- Radiographic comparison is superior to written records for dental identification.
- Post-mortem radiographs, when taken to match ante-mortem conditions, yield highly probative results.
- Endodontic radiographs are particularly valuable for establishing identity due to restoration stability.
Implications:
- This method enhances the reliability of forensic dental identification.
- Utilizing radiographic comparisons can improve the accuracy and efficiency of missing person investigations.
- The findings support the adoption of standardized radiographic comparison techniques in forensic practice.
