Forensic odontology: The prosthetic ID

Abstract

The term “forensic science” involves forensic (or forensis, in Latin), which means a public discussion or debate. In a more modern context, however, forensic applies to courts or the judicial system. Combine that with science, and forensic science means applying scientific methods and processes to solving crimes. People can be identified by their fingerprints, foot creases, and from traces of their DNA from blood, skin, hair, saliva, and semen by DNA analysis. However, in situations where these records are unavailable or unusable due to the nature of the disaster, the dental records and aids prove to be useful for victim identification. This article aims at highlighting the importance of the dental records and the forensic odontology in the accurate and efficient identification of the conflict victims or deceased to serve as an important adjunct to the forensic medicine in a simplified manner.