[Abnormal development of the hard palate revealed during the forensic examination of bone remains]

In the forensic practice of examining bone remains there are cases of anomalies' detection of the skeleton development which have a high identification value for the search for a missing person. The most valuable ones are the features of the facial skull anatomical structure since they are usually well visible and recorded in photographic and medical documents. In the presented case an anomaly in the hard palate development was revealed on the skull of an unknown person found in the Leningrad region - a cleft caused by its underdevelopment.