| What is dentistry's involvement in forensic
medicine?
Forensic medicine is a science that deals
with the relation and application of
medical facts to legal problems. Dentists
who work in forensics now can establish
a positive identification of human remains
-- sometimes in a matter of minutes,
even without dental records.
How is technology changing the way dentists
can help identify the remains of crime
victims and missing persons?
Where no dental X-rays are available,
digital photographs taken of the teeth
can be used to compare a smiling photograph
taken during the victim's life.
What is the main goal?
Quick identification is the main goal,
so the FBI is conducting research to
develop a nationwide "high speed" dental
identification system that can compare
thousands of dental records in minutes
and automatically rank possible matches.
For those wondering and worrying about
the fate of a missing relative, a shorter
wait means closure, so grieving and recovery
can begin.
What can be learned from studying a set
of teeth?
The arrangement of each person's teeth
is virtually unique, and almost all of
us have had some kind of dental treatment.
Where dental records are available, it
is possible to study a set of teeth and
compare the teeth with dental records.
This comparison allows dentists to establish
the identity of a body, just like fingerprints
or DNA evidence.
Where are dentists who work in forensics
needed?
Dentists who work in forensics often are
called to the most brutal death scenes
like World Trade Center, the federal
building bombing in Oklahoma City, and
the Jeffrey Dahmer murders. Those can
be difficult cases, especially when dental
records are not available.
How great is the need for this identification
help?
According to the FBI, on average there
are 100,000 active missing persons cases
in the United States at any given time.
Nearly a third of those missing meet
a tragic end.
As long as this trend continues, dentists
who work in forensics will keep playing
a critical role in helping identify victims.
What is on the horizon?
In the near future, 3D computer technology
will make it possible to reconstruct
a reasonable likeness of a person's face
during life, using dental and physical
information from skeletal remains.
Please note: The ADA does not provide specific answers
to individual questions about fees, dental problems, conditions, diagnoses,
treatments or proposed treatments, or requests for research. Information about
dental referrals, complaints and a variety of dental procedures may
be found here. You can also refer to our Frequently
Asked Questions page for answers to common questions.
|
