Forensic genetics: Scope and application from forensic odontology perspective

Forensic science corresponds to the employment of science to the law or legal matters. One of the major concerns of legal system is to deduce the recognition of an item or individual, involved in crime for which forensic expert plays a pivotal role. Forensic odontology, a budding branch in dentistry, involves the application of dentistry to the legal system. The dental characteristics are considered as one of the primary characteristics of identification as per Interpol DVI guidelines. Thus, establishing the identity of unknown human remains through dental features is considered as one of the core domains of forensic odontology. However, its reliability and its acceptability in the court of law are only secondary to the application of DNA technologies. Also, the acceptability of bite-mark analysis and its evidentiary role is debatable. However, the bite marks may also be a source of salivary DNA, to establish the linking of the perpetrator to the victim. The recent advancements in the DNA technologies and the use of teeth and saliva as sources of DNA are the added advantages in the application of DNA as person identifiers especially in badly mutilated, decomposed and charred bodies and in linking the perpetrator to the crime. With this background, we present here a review on the application of forensic genetics from a forensic odontology point of view.