The role of forensic odontology in the identification of a mutilation victim: A case report
Downloads
Background: Forensic odontology is an invaluable resource for human identification. An individual’s bones and teeth may be the only remnants of their identity in certain situations where soft tissue has been lost, carbonized, or destroyed for any other reason. The body’s hardest and best-protected structures are found in teeth, and these have individual characteristics and are resistant to factors such as temperature and chemistry. When antemortem dental records are not available for comparison, dental profiling is performed. Purpose: This case study highlights the importance of teeth in the identification process and their usefulness in estimating biological profile factors such as sex, age, and population affinity. Case: The case of an unidentified woman who was found in a house in a severely decomposed, skeletonized state is presented. The unidentified body was sent to the Forensic Medicine Installation of Bhayangkara Level I Hospital to determine the cause of death and for dental identification. Case management: The body was suspected to be a victim of mutilation. Shovel shapes observed on the lingual surface of the lateral upper incisor and tori palatini are the most outstanding diagnostic features in Mongoloid populations. The specific mesiodistal crown width and mandibular canine index revealed female traits. Using the Lamendin method, the age was estimated to be 52–58 years old. Conclusion: A forensic odontologist can identify individuals by comparing antemortem and postmortem dental data. They can also provide age estimation, sex, and population affinity determination by analyzing teeth.
Downloads
Hemlata Pandey, Sumit K. Chaudhary, Harish Pathak, Emilio Nuzzolese. Forensic odontology: An aid in identification of unknown human remains. Med Leg Updat. 2021; 21(4): 37–42. doi: https://doi.org/10.37506/mlu.v21i4.3099
Prastyo E, Sari FA, Auerkari EI, Suhartono AW, Pasaribu RS, Soedarsono N, Zevrianty D, Yunus AD, Auerkari P. Palatine suture obliteration method for age estimates of burn victims with minimal tooth remains: a case report. Dent J. 2025; 58(3): 295–300. doi: https://doi.org/10.20473/j.djmkg.v58.i3.p295-300
Baldino G, Mondello C, Sapienza D, Stassi C, Asmundo A, Gualniera P, Vanin S, Ventura Spagnolo E. Multidisciplinary forensic approach in “complex” bodies: Systematic review and procedural proposal. Diagnostics. 2023; 13(2): 310. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13020310
Kurniawan A, Chusida A, Atika N, Gianosa TK, Solikhin MD, Margaretha MS, Utomo H, Marini MI, Rizky BN, Prakoeswa BFWR, Alias A, Marya A. The applicable dental age estimation methods for children and adolescents in Indonesia. Int J Dent. 2022; 2022: 1–6. doi: https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/6761476
Chopra LB, Sorout R, Batra O. Replicas in forensic dentistry for human identification. Indian J Forensic Community Med. 2021; 8(1): 4–10. doi: https://doi.org/10.18231/j.ijfcm.2021.002
Krishan K, Kanchan T, Garg AK. Dental evidence in forensic identification – an overview, methodology and present status. Open Dent J. 2015; 9(1): 250–6. doi: https://doi.org/10.2174/1874210601509010250
Sharma N, Dhillon S. Identification through dental age estimation in skeletal remains of a child. J Forensic Dent Sci. 2019; 11(1): 48. doi: https://doi.org/10.4103/jfo.jfds_79_18
Gustafson G, Malmö DO. Age determinations on teeth. J Am Dent Assoc. 1950; 41(1): 45–54. doi: https://doi.org/10.14219/jada.archive.1950.0132
Lamendin H, Baccino E, Humbert JF, Tavernier JC, Nossintchouk RM, Zerilli A. A simple technique for age estimation in adult corpses: the two criteria dental method. J Forensic Sci. 1992; 37(5): 1373–9. pubmed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1402761/
De Angelis D, Mele E, Gibelli D, Merelli V, Spagnoli L, Cattaneo C. The applicability of the Lamendin method to skeletal remains buried for a 16-year period: A cautionary note. J Forensic Sci. 2015; 60(S1): S177–81. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.12611
Lopes JR, Queiroz SBB dos S, Fernandes MM, Paiva LAS de, Oliveira RN de. Age estimation by teeth periodontosis and transparency: accuracy of Lamendin’s method on a Brazilian sample. Brazilian J Oral Sci. 2014; 13(1): 17–21. doi: https://doi.org/10.1590/1677-3225v13n1a04
Limdiwala PG, Sugandha N, Shah JS, Pillai JP. Application and validation of Lamendin et al.’s adult age estimation method using mandibular premolar teeth on Western Indian (Gujarati) population. J Indian Acad Oral Med Radiol. 2021; 33(3): 306–13. doi: https://doi.org/10.4103/jiaomr.jiaomr_33_21
Fidya F, Priyambadha B. Automation of gender determination in human canines using artificial intelligence. Dent J (Majalah Kedokt Gigi). 2018; 50(3): 116–20. doi: https://doi.org/10.20473/j.djmkg.v50.i3.p116-120
Rawlani SM, Rawlani SS, Bhowate RR, Chandak RM, Khubchandani M. Racial characteristics of human teeth. Int J Forensic Odontol. 2017; 2(1): 38. doi: https://doi.org/10.4103/ijfo.ijfo_21_16
Kumawat R, Dindgire S, Gadhari M, Khobragade P, Kadoo P, Yadav P. Mandibular canine: A tool for sex identification in forensic odontology. J Forensic Dent Sci. 2017; 9(2): 109. doi: https://doi.org/10.4103/jfo.jfds_41_16
Miranda GE, Freitas SG de, Maia LV de A, Melani RFH. An unusual method of forensic human identification: use of selfie photographs. Forensic Sci Int. 2016; 263: e14–7. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.04.028
Nuzzolese E, Lupariello F, Di Vella G. Selfie identification app as a forensic tool for missing and unidentified persons. J Forensic Dent Sci. 2018; 10(2): 75. doi: https://doi.org/10.4103/jfo.jfds_80_17
Sakari Sl, Jimson S, Masthan KMK, Jacobina J. Role of DNA profiling in forensic odontology. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2015; 7(5): 138. doi: https://doi.org/10.4103/0975-7406.155863
Kaur S, Lamba M, Saini V. Identification of a severely decomposed body by dental DNA STR Analysis: A case report. Arab J Forensic Sci Forensic Med. 2018; 1(8): 1072–9. doi: https://doi.org/10.26735/16586794.2018.032
Sweet DJ, Sweet CH. DNA analysis of dental pulp to link incinerated remains of homicide victim to crime scene. J Forensic Sci. 1995; 40(2): 310–4. pubmed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7602298/
Higgins D, Austin JJ. Teeth as a source of DNA for forensic identification of human remains: A review. Sci Justice. 2013; 53(4): 433–41. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2013.06.001
Finaughty C, Heathfield LJ, Kemp V, Márquez-Grant N. Forensic DNA extraction methods for human hard tissue: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis of technologies and sample type. Forensic Sci Int Genet. 2023; 63: 102818. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2022.102818
Copyright (c) 2025 Dental Journal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
- Every manuscript submitted to must observe the policy and terms set by the Dental Journal (Majalah Kedokteran Gigi).
- Publication rights to manuscript content published by the Dental Journal (Majalah Kedokteran Gigi) is owned by the journal with the consent and approval of the author(s) concerned.
- Full texts of electronically published manuscripts can be accessed free of charge and used according to the license shown below.
- The Dental Journal (Majalah Kedokteran Gigi) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
