Contemporary Forensic Dentistry

Abstract

Forensic dentistry is a science that, in the interest of justice, deals with the proper handling and examination of dental evidence and the proper assessment and analysis of dental findings. It has become an irreplaceable science in medical-legal matters and the identification of a deceased person. Teeth are often preserved even if the deceased is skeletonized, decayed, burned, or disassembled. Various methods have been developed to determine a person’s age, gender and ethnicity, using dental tissue. The methods of data collection and additional technologies used in forensic dental identification have undergone a significant transformation. This article provides an overview of conventional methods and newer concepts used in forensic dentistry.