This presentation features the role and scope of forensic odontology in the field of investigation and medico-legal cases and crimes.

1. FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY IN
PEDODONTICS
Department of pedodontics
Govt. College of Dentistry, indore
Submitted by-
Anu Agrawal
Priya Tomar
BDS Final year.

2. •The adjective forensic comes from the latin
word forensis meaning “in open court” or
“public”.
•When we describe something as forensic we
usually mean we have something to do with
finding evidence to solve a crime.
• The term forensic science is an umbrella term.

3. FORENSIC SCIENCE:-
It is the study of physical information connected with crimes or
collection of evidences by scientifically examining the objects or
the substances that are involved in the crime.

4. FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY:-
It is the branch of dentistry which, in
the interest of law, with proper
handling and examination of dental
evidence and the proper evaluation
and presentation of such evidence.

5. MAJOR FIELDS OF FORENSIC
ODONTOLOGY
Identification of persons
from their dentition or
teeth
Identification of
individuals without
suspicious death
Academic training
courses
Dealing with bite mark
identification
Mass disaster Postgraduate training
Craniofacial
superimposition for
identification
CIVIL RESEARCH

6. ROLE OF PEDODONTIST
 MASS DISASTER
 CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
 ACCIDENTAL AND NON-ACCIDENTAL
ORAL TRAUMA
 DENTAL FRAUD
 AGE DETERMINATION
 BITE MARK EVIDENCE
 LIP PRINT IDENTIFICATION
 POISONING
 DENTAL RECORDS

7. CHILD ABUSE
 DEFINITION- Child Abuse is defined as the non-
accidental physical injury ,minimal or fatal, inflicted upon
children by persons caring for them.
 It is an overact of commission of a caretaker-physical,
emotional or sexual.
 BATTERED BABY - is a child who shows clinical
or radiographic evidence of lesions that are frequently
multiple and involve mainly the head, soft tissue, long bones,
thoracic cage and that cannot be unequivocally explained.

9.  NEGLECTED CHILD :- is one who shows
evidence of physical or mental ill health
primarily due to failure on the part of parent
or caretaker to provide adequately for
child’s needs.
 PERSECUTED CHILD :-is the one who
shows evidence of mental ill health caused
by a deliberate infliction of physical or
psychological injury that is often continuous
in nature.

10. TYPES OF CHILD ABUSE
 Physical abuse 31.8%
 Educational abuse 26.3%
 Emotional abuse 23.3%
 Sexual abuse 6.8%
 Failure to thrive 4.0%
 International drugging not specified
or poisoning
 Munchausen syndrome not specified
by proxy

12. COMMON SITES TO BE EXAMINED
FACE AND NECK:-
Periorbital ecchymosis
Scleral haemorrhage
Ptosis
Deviated nasal septum
Cigarette burn marks
Hand slap marks
CORNER OFMOUTH:-
Binding marks from a gag tied in place for hours
to force the feed.


13.  FRACTURED ANTERIOR TEETH OR
TORN FRENUM:-
It is result of spoon or fork applied with
enough force.
 Inner thigh, hands, arms should be
checked.
NOTE- The area not under the purview of
dentist are genital and buttocks.

15. WHAT TO DO IN CHILD ABUSE
TREATMENT :-
Any medical or dental treatment that is
indicated should be given.
DOCUMENTATION :-
All data collected in a medical history and
physical examination must be documented
in a complete and objective manner.
For visible injury photographs must be taken;
if possible.

16. REPORTING :-
 The dentist is obligated to report the case to-
 Police
 National human right commission
 Government organization and non
government organizations

17. BITE MARKS
DEFINITION-BITE MARK is a mark
caused by teeth alone or in combination
with other oral parts or consists of teeth
marks produced by antagonist teeth
which can be as too opposing arc marks.

18. BITE MARKS
DEFINITION-BITE MARK is a mark
caused by teeth alone or in combination
with other oral parts or consists of teeth
marks produced by antagonist teeth
which can be as too opposing arc marks.

20. CHARACTERSTICS OF HUMAN BITE
MARKS
 Human bite mark characteristic include:-
1. Elliptical or ovoid pattern
2. Contains tooth, arch marks and tooth mark of
antagonistic tooth.
3. Arch mark may reflect the incisal or occlusal surfaces.
 Other significant findings are:-
○ Presence or absence of each tooth
○ Shape of each tooth
○ Mesio-distal dimension
○ Arch form and size
○ Relationship between upper and lower jaw.
○ Rotation, fractured teeth, supernumerary teeth,
microdontia and diastema.

21. BITE MARK ANALYSIS
The guidance for bite mark analysis are given by
American Board For Odontology. The collection of
evidence regarding the bite marks fall in the following
category:
Description of bitemarks-
1. Demographic data
2. Location of bite mark
3. Shape, color
4. Type of injury
Collection of evidence from victim:- the following
methods may be used-
1. Photography
2. Salivary swabbing
3. Impression
4. Tissue sample

22. DENTAL AGE ESTIMATION
 The determination of age plays a significant
role within forensic odontology, not only in
identification of bodies but also in
connection with crimes and accidents.
 The age determination can be considered in
two periods-
1.The developmental period which begins in
the utero and ends when dentition has
reached maturity.

23. Age Estimation in Developmental Period
 GRAVIMETRIC METHOD- It is used in the foetus and
mouth where teeth are not present in the mouth.
 In this method gravimetric observation can be made on the
mineral content of foetal and infantile teeth and relationship
between the square roots of the weights of the ashed teeth and
the known age of the subject can be determined.
 HISTOLOGIC APPROACH -
1. Incremental lines are formed at the time of birth in deciduous
teeth representing about 15 days of retarded development. The
presence of such lines confirms that the infant had survived
for at least 3 to 4 weeks.

24. 2. By measuring the thickness of the dentin on the pulpal side of
neonatal line because deciduous dentine is formed at the rate of
4 microns /day.
 VISUAL AND RADIOGRAPHIC METHOD- Visual
examination provides the information about the number of teeth
present in the dental arches and the dentition to which they
belong.
 No significant changes takes place in the dental arches after
complete eruption of the deciduous dentition till the eruption of
the first permanent molars then we take the help of the
radiographs to reveal the resorbtion of the roots of the primary
teeth.
 NOTE- Degree of calcification is more meaningful indication of
dental maturation than the time of its clinical emergence.

25. SEX identification

26. RACE DETERMINATION
 There are several features that can be used to determine the race
of an individual.
1. ARCH OF MAXILLA:-
The arch of maxilla can be found in three basic shapes:
African- Hyperbolic
European – Parabolic
Asian - Rounded

27. RACE DETERMINATION
 There are several features that can be used to determine the race
of an individual.
1. ARCH OF MAXILLA:-
The arch of maxilla can be found in three basic shapes:
African- Hyperbolic
European – Parabolic
Asian - Rounded

28. 2. The incisors also differ in their basic
shape:
 African- Spatulate
 European- Spatulate
 Asian- Showel shaped

29. FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
 Forensic Anthropology is the study of
bones or other human remains.
 Forensic Anthropologist determines –
1. If bones/body parts are human or non-human
2. How long they lived????
3. The cause and manner of death.
4. Age
5. Race
6. Sex

30. PATERNITY DISPUTES
 Forensic Odontology play an important role in solving paternity
disputes.
 Saliva is potentially useful source of genomic DNA. Sample
collection is non-invasive so it has an added advantage in children.
 Buccal swabs can produce a sufficient amount of DNA in
individuals that recently passed away(within a week or so)
 Teeth has an added advantage over bone because it is
protected in the jaws which provide an added layer of protection
,shielding the DNA from environmental factors which would speed
up decomposition procedure to which bones are directly exposed.

31.  The root of the tooth contains more DNA
than the crown.
 Molars and premolars yield more DNA due
to number of roots and increase in size of
pulp chamber in distal portion.

32. THANK YOU