Identification of human skeletal remains with a mandibular static bone cavity by comparison between ante- and...

We report a case of human skeletal remains in which a mandibular static bone cavity noted in a dental orthopantomogram assisted the positive identification. Unknown totally skeletonized human remains were found on a bushy slope of a hill. In the pockets of the clothing, there were a wooden seal, on which a family name was inscribed, and two cigarette lighters bearing the name of a bank. The body was identified as a male, about 50 years old. The estimated time elapsed since death was about six months to one year. No evidence of trauma was found in the clothing and the bones. The possible cause of death was due to poisoning from ingestion of bromvalerylurea (hypnotics). From the family name inscribed on the seal and the name of a bank on the cigarette lighters, the police investigation caught a missing man of 46 years old, who had last been seen alive about 6 months before. A dental orthopantomogram taken about 2 years before his disappearance was available for comparison. Eighteen days after recovery positive identification was practically accomplished based on unique features of the dental findings and a fairly rare, mandibular static bone cavity (a kind of bone cysts) by a X-ray comparison.