Dentistry to the rescue of missing children: A review

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.sidebar##

Published Apr 1, 2016
https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-1475.176947
Download
pdf
Statistic

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...
Volume 8, Issue 1, January-April 2016

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.main##

Nitika Vij
Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Swami Devi Dyal Hospital and Dental College, Haryana
Gulsheen Kochhar
Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Swami Devi Dyal Hospital and Dental College, Haryana
Sanjay Chachra
Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Swami Devi Dyal Hospital and Dental College, Haryana
Taranjot Kaur
Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Swami Devi Dyal Hospital and Dental College, Haryana

Abstract

Today's society is becoming increasingly unsafe for children: we frequently hear about new incidents of missing children, which lead to emotional trauma for the loved ones and expose systemic failures of law and order. Parents can take extra precautions to ensure the safety of their children by educating them about ways to protect themselves and keep important records of the child such as updated color photographs, fingerprints, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples, etc., handy. However, in spite of all efforts, the problem of missing children still remains. Developments in the field of dentistry have empowered dentists with various tools and techniques to play a pivotal role in tracing a missing child. One such tool is Toothprints, a patented arch-shaped thermoplastic dental impression wafer developed by Dr. David Tesini, a paediatric dentist from Massachusetts. Toothprints enables a unique identification of the missing children not only through the bite impression but also through salivary DNA. Besides the use of Toothprints, a dentist can assist investigating agencies in identifying the missing children in multiple ways, including postmortem dental profiling, labeled dental fixtures, DNA extraction from teeth, and serial number engraving on the children's teeth. More importantly, all these tools cause minimal inconvenience to the individual, making a dentist's role in tracking a missing child even more significant. Thus, the simple discipline of maintaining timely dental records with the help of their dentists can save potential hassles for the parents in the future.

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.details##

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite
Nitika Vij, Gulsheen Kochhar, Sanjay Chachra, & Taranjot Kaur. (2016). Dentistry to the rescue of missing children: A review. Journal of Forensic Dental Sciences, 8(1), 07–12. https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-1475.176947
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

References

  1. Standard for Public Safety Telecommunications when Responding to Calls of Missing, Abducted and Sexually Exploited Children. Available from: http://www.amber‑net.org/. [Last accessed on 2010 Oct 10].
  2. Introna F, De Donno A, Santoro V, Corrado S, Romano V, Porcelli F, et al. The bodies of two missing children in an enclosed underground environment. Forensic Sci Int 2011; 207:e40-7.
  3. SedlakAJ, FinkelhorD, Hammer H, SchultzDJ. NISMART: National Estimates of Missing Children: An Overview. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice; 2002. p. 5.
  4. Guidelines for Programs to Reduce Child Victimization: A Resource for Communities when Choosing a Program to Teach Personal Safety to Children. Alexandria, Virginia: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC); 1999.
  5. Tesini DA, O’Malley KD, Schwartz S. Development of a bite impression technique for use in identification of missing and unknown children. J Mass Dent Soc 1985; 34:61, 63, 69 passim.
  6. Tesini DA, Harte DB, Crowley K. Dentistry’s role in identification of missing and unknown children: Update on the dental bite impression technique. J Mass Dent Soc 1999; 48:29-34, 50.
  7. Toothprints-toothprint DNA Dental Impressions. My Precious Kid Family Safety Products and Baby Gear Store. Available from: http://www.mypreciouskid.com/toothprints.html. [Last accessed on 2002 Dec 03].
  8. Sognnaes RF, Rawson RD, Gratt BM, Nguyen NB. Computer comparison of bitemark patterns in identical twins. J Am Dent Assoc 1982; 105:449-51.
  9. Spencer DE. Bite Marks in Child Abuse: Manual of Forensic Odontology. 3rd ed. Montpelier, VT: Printing Specialists; 1995. p. 78.
  10. Sweet D, Shutler GG. Analysis of salivary DNA evidence from a bite mark on a body submerged in water. J Forensic Sci 1999; 44:1069‑72.
  11. Sweet D, Lorente JA, Valenzuela A, Lorente M, Villanueva E. PCR-based DNA typing of saliva stains recovered from human skin. J Forensic Sci 1992; 42:447-51.
  12. King IB, Satia‑Abouta J, Thornquist MD, Bigler J, Patterson RE, KristalAR, et al. Buccal cell DNA yield, quality, and collection costs: Comparison of methods for large-scale studies. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2002; 11:1130-3.
  13. Sivagami AV, Rao AR, Varshney U. A simple and cost‑effective method for preparing DNA from the hard tooth tissue, and its use in polymerase chain reaction amplification of amelogenin gene segment for sex determination in an Indian population. Forensic Sci Int 2000; 110:107-15.
  14. Gall K, Pavicić D, Pavelić J, Audy‑Jurković S, Pavelić K. PCR amplification of DNA from stained cytological smears. J Clin Pathol 1993; 46:378‑9.
  15. Dimo-Simonin N, Grange F, Brandt-Casadevall C. PCR-based forensic testing of DNA from stained cytological smears. J Forensic Sci 1997; 42:506‑9.
  16. Heid CA, Stevens J, Livak KJ, Williams PM. Real time quantitative PCR. Genome Res 1996; 6:986‑94.
  17. Nicklas JA, Buel E. Development of an Alu-based, real-time PCR method for quantification of human DNA in forensic samples. J Forensic Sci 2003; 48:936‑44.
  18. Ellis MA, Song F, Parks ET, Eckert GJ, Dean JA, Windsor LJ. An evaluation of DNA yield, DNA quantity and bite registration from a dental impression wafer. JAm Dent Assoc 2007; 138:1234‑40; quiz 1267.
  19. Harte DB. The Comprehensive Masonic Child Identification Program (CHIP). Massachusetts: North Shore District Dental Society News; 2004. p. 12-4.
  20. Heldmann T. Trailing and Air-Scenting Search K-9s Inc., Colchester, CT: Witnessed and Videotaped Mar 2014.
  21. Canines for Kids Inc. Available from: http://www.caninesforkids. net. [Last accessed on 2004 Dec 05].
  22. Walsh DJ, Corey AC, Cotton RW, Forman L, Herrin GL Jr, Word CJ, et al. Isolation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from saliva and forensic science samples containing saliva. J Forensic Sci 1992;37:387-95.
  23. Stavrianos C, Kafas P, Katsikogiani H, Tretiakov G, Kokkas A. Contributing in the identification of missing children: The dentist’s role. Res J Med Sci 2010;4:128-35.
  24. Sweet D, DiZinno JA. Personal identification through dental evidence‑tooth fragments to DNA. J Calif Dent Assoc 1996; 24:35-42.
  25. Jacob RF, Shalla CL. Postmortem identification of the edentulous deceased: Denture tissue surface anatomy. J Forensic Sci 1987; 32:698‑702.
  26. Whittaker DK, Macdonald DG. A Color Atlas of Forensic Dentistry. London: Wolfe Medical Publications Ltd.; 1989.
  27. Schwartz TR, Schwatrz EA, Mieszerski L, McNally L, Kobilinsky L. Characterization of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) obtained from teeth subjected to various environmental conditions. J Forensic Sci 1991; 36:979‑90.
  28. Stavrianos C, Petalotis N, Stavrianou I. Identification of missing children through dental tag. Balk J Stom 2006; 10:213‑6.
  29. Introna F, Campobasso CP. Biological versus legal age of living individual. In: Schmitt A, Cunha E, Pinheiro J, editors. Forensic Anthropology and Medicine: Complementary Sciences from Recovery to Cause of Death. Totowa, New Jersey: Humana Press; 2006. p. 57‑82.
  30. Schmeling A, Olze A, Reisinger W, Geserick G. Forensic age diagnostics of living people undergoing criminal proceedings. Forensic Sci Int 2004; 144:243-5.
  31. Noble HW. The estimation of age from the dentition. J Forensic Sci Soc 1974; 14:215-21.
  32. SchourI, Massler M. Development of human dentition. JAm Dent Assoc 1941; 28:1153‑60.
  33. Moorrees CF, Fanning EA, Hunt EE Jr. Age variation of formation stages for ten permanent teeth. J Dent Res 1963; 42; 1490‑502.
  34. Demirijan A, Glodstein H, Tanner JM. A new system of dental age assessment. Hum Biol 1973; 45:211-27.
  35. Portigliatti Barbos M, Robetti I, Iorio M, Festa T. L’accertamento dell’eta` dentaria nel secondo decennio di vita quale contributo alla definizione della competenza dei tribunali minorili. Riv It Med Leg 1982; 4:863‑73.
  36. Nolla CM. The development of permanent teeth. J Dent Child 1960; 27:254‑66.
  37. CameriereR, Ferrante L, Cingolani M. Age estimation in children by measurement of open apices in teeth. Int J Legal Med 2006; 120:49‑52.
  38. Kvaal SI. Kolltveit KM, Thomsen IO, Solheim T. Age estimation of adults from dental radiographs. Forensic Sci Int 1995; 74:175-85.
  39. Drusini AG. The coronal pulp cavity index: A forensic tool for age determination in human adults. Cuad Med Forense 2008; 14:235-49.
  40. Harris MJ, Nortjé CJ. The mesial root of the third mandibular molar. J Forensic Odontostomatol 1984;2:39-43.
  41. Van Heerden PJ. The Mesial Root of the Third Mandibular Molar as a Possible Indicator of Age. Dissertation for Diploma in Forensic Odontology. London: London Hospital Medical College; 1985.
  42. Gilsanz V, Osman R. Hand Bone Age: A Digital Atlas of Skeletal Maturity. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer-Verlag; 2005.
  43. Schmeling A, Baumann U, Schmidt S, Wernecke KD, Reisinger W. Reference data for the Thiemann‑Nitz method of assesing skeletal age for the purpose of forensic age estimation. Int J Legal Med 2006;120:1‑4.
  44. Adams BJ. Establishing personal identification based on specific patterns of missing, filled, and unrestored teeth. J Forensic Sci 2003; 48:487‑96.
  45. Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Masonic Youth Child Identification Program. Available from: http://www.mychip.org. [Last accessed on 2012 Jun 23].
  46. National Child Identification Program. Available from: http://www. childidprogram.com. [Last accessed on 2012 Dec 15].
  47. Tesini DA, Harte DB. Anatomy of a properly taken toothprints thermoplastic bite impression. J Mass Dent Soc 2005; 54:22.