Forensic Dentistry, Second Edition

178 Forensic dentistry

C. Jaw resection
D. Techniques for dissection/resection
E. The postmortem dental record

1. Dental examination


2. Narrative description and nomenclature


3. Dental impressions


4. Dental radiology
   II. Sources for antemortem data
   A. Local agencies
   B. State agencies
   C. Federal agencies
   D. International resources
   E. Insurance carriers
   F. Other sources
   III. Comparison of antemortem and postmortem evidence
   A. Dental features useful in identification
   IV. Categories and terminology for body identification
   A. Positive identification
   B. Possible identification
   C. Insufficient evidence
   D. Exclusion

9.7 Technological and Scientific Advances

The advances in dental technology and materials used in clinical practice have

led to many changes in the delivery of patient care. These include computer

hardware and software, intraoral photography and videography, digital radi-

og raphy, i nt raora l la ser tech nolog y, denta l i mpla nts, h ig h-st reng t h porcela i ns,

advances in bonding agents, and continued changes in dental esthetic resins,

to name a few. These same advances in dental technology can also be useful

in dental identification.

Flint et al. conducted a pilot study to determine the ability of a computer

program to compare dental radiographs as a method for dental identification.

This program enables the comparison of radiographs taken from different

projection geometries. In their study, longitudinal radiographs of individuals

were used to test the ability of the program to correctly identify images of the

same individuals. Following this aspect of the study, clinical radiographs of

patients were used to further test the ability to correctly identify radiographs

from the same individual. Through their study, the examiners found differ-

ent threshold levels of the program to properly identify radiographs of the

same patient when evaluating different anatomical areas of the mouth. The