ROLE OF FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY IN IDENTIFICATION: A CASE REPORT

Authors

  • Amandeep Singh Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh Author
  • Dasari Harish Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh Author
  • Ajay Kumar Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh Author
  • Mandar R Sane Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh Author

Keywords:

Teeth, Identification, Negative identification, DNA analysis

Abstract

A highly decomposed body was recovered from rivulet in Haryana and was
brought for postmortem examination. According to the police, the body was identified by the
relatives of a boy who went missing 15 days before from bank of the same rivulet. In absence of
clothes and due to advanced stage of decomposition, the family allegedly identified the body on
the basis of length of second toe which was greater than first one.
However on autopsy, the length of the body, osteological study as well as odontologic
study of the body resulted in the outcome that the body did not belong to the said family. The
old healed spaces of missing molars in both the jaws became the surest point for this negative
identification. Such negative identification cases do occur when the body is in a highly
decomposed state and beyond recognition. Forensic odontology plays an important role to find
the identity of the person especially if the dental record of the person is available.

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Published

2018-06-25

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 01 (2018): Journal of Indo-pacific Academy of Forensic Odontology

Section

Original Study/Original Research Article