Forensic Dentistry, Second Edition

dna and dna evidence 107

Figure 7.1 Crushing a tooth encased in the fingertip of a sterile nitrile exami-

nation glove is a rapid and economic technique to maximize dna yield once

the dentin has been removed from the crown, leaving an enamel shell and any

restorations present. this approach has been used successfully at the aFdil

for aircraft accidents when scores of individually recovered teeth required

expeditious laboratory processing and some portion of the tooth had to be pre-

served for return to the family. (Courtesy of the armed Forces dna identifi-

cation laboratory.)

Figure 7.2 removing and retrieving the predentin and other internal aspects
of the dentin from a maxillary molar tooth that has been sectioned horizontally
using a sterile surgical straight handpiece. (Courtesy of dr. Kevin torsky and the
u.s. army Central identification laboratory.)