Forensic odontology in DVI: current practice and recent advances

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Odontology

Background:

• Forensic odontology is vital for mass disaster victim identification (DVI).
• Its success hinges on surviving dental remains and accessible antemortem (AM) dental records.
• Current practices and emerging techniques are reviewed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe current forensic odontology identification techniques.
• To outline recent advances in the field.
• To highlight the importance of reliable AM dental records.

Main Methods:

• Review of current forensic odontology identification practices.
• Analysis of recent technological advancements in dental record analysis.
• Emphasis on the use of imaging data (radiographs, CT, 3D scans) as AM records.

Main Results:

• High-quality AM dental records, especially imaging data, are crucial for successful DVI.
• Radiographs, CT scans, and 3D scan data are more reliable than traditional charts.
• Interpretation and comparison of dental data require trained dental professionals.

Conclusions:

• Forensic odontology is a key component of DVI protocols.
• Advanced imaging techniques are enhancing the reliability of victim identification.
• Future DVI efforts will likely integrate 3D datasets for comparative analysis.