Forensic Odontologist
Forensic Odontology (dentistry) is that aspect of dental science, which interacts with the legal justice system. It covers a wide range of activities. Primary among these are the identification of unidentifiable human remains, bitemarks in crimes against persons, issues relating to human abuse and neglect, mass disaster preparedness, dental malpractice and being an effective expert witness, both in the criminal, as well as civil trials.
It is your job to identify examine dental evidence from deceased individuals and compare these with records of possible victims. You will need to determine if there is a likely match and work with other members of your team to come up with a positive identification.
Teeth are coated in enamel, a durable substance which is the hardest substance within the body. Because of this resilience, teeth outlast tissues and organs as decomposition begins. In the event of a mass disaster such as a fire or explosion, the examination of the teeth and comparison to dental records is often the primary method used for identification. An individual's teeth, their alignment, and the mouth's overall structure can help identify a person. An odontologist will use x-rays, dental casts, and even a photograph of the person's smile to compare the remains to the suspected victim.
The use of a forensic odontologist and the information which they can add to a case can depend on a variety of factors.
During your research it is essential that you cover the following areas:
What is forensic odontology?
Teeth structure.
Number and types of teeth in a human infant/adult
How comparison of ante-mortem and post-mortem records are made.
What information can be found from analysis of teeth.
Importance of teeth in identification of unknown victims
Bite marks
Comparison of odontology with DNA analysis
Limitations of forensic odontology
When you have finished your research you should sit the qualifying exam by going to moodle . You will need a password from your teacher to sit this exam.
