DNA Profiling from Dentine and It’s Role in Signifying Individuality

Forensic dentistry is the field which is a combination of forensic and dentistry. In this we go for principles used in dentistry or dentistry forthe use in judiciary. It is one field inwhich we collectthe evidence related to dentistry and analyze them for the purpose of investigation. In a crime scene or a disaster situation a lot of destruction occurs. It becomes important to determine the identity of an individual and we can say it is the identity of the deceased. This study is being conducted based on previous research and literature presented by various research scholars. When it comes to a crime scene where we do not get the victim or culprit but we find the dentalevidence and also in cases of mass disasters, catastrophic events, industrial disasters where identification is necessary if we found the dental evidence, they can help a lot in determining age, gender partial identity can be known through this evidence. Many methods are there to determine identity through dental evidence and also apart from dental evidence we have orthometric methods but dental evidence is found to be more cheap, easy, fast methods. In this we have discussed how DNA is extracted from the teeth and it's further processing so that it will help in establishing someone's identity. Keywords: Dentistry, Forensic Dentistry, Dental Evidence, Extraction, DNA Profiling etc

Dentist’s Role and Responsible in Identification and Investigation

Background: A dentist is responsible for promoting oral health and disease prevention to make the world a better place in terms of oral health. Besides, the dentist also plays an important role in the forensic field and law enforcement. Forensic odontology is an area of dentistry that deals with the proper management and investigation of dental evidence, which aids in identifying people and the presentation of dental evidence in the interest of justice. Purpose: This article discussed the role and responsibilities of dentists in human identification. Review: The world continues to deteriorate as time passes with much criminality and disasters that cannot be prevented. In many cases, the identification process can be done through the unique characteristics of dentition. Various information such as age, sex, and ethnicity are recorded in the tooth. Forensic dentists are responsible to manage and evaluate tooth evidence. Conclusion: Forensic odontology plays an essential role in determining individual identity. The unique features of dentition provide accurate results in identification if all procedures are correctly employed. With the advancement of science and technology, dentistry may now assist in the identification and investigation of forensic cases.

Forensic age assessment using Kvaal’s method with digital orthopantomographs (OPG) and comparison with the actual age of the subjects

Background: Forensic Dentistry is one of the branch of Forensic Medicine which deals with the complete handling of dental evidence, estimation and examination and the evidence obtained would be used in the court for justice. Kvaal and Solheim given a method used on adults for calculation of age with the help of morphological and radiological methods, but extraction was still required. Hence to improve this procedure Kvaal et al made a method which is totally based on radiological analysis. Aims and Objective: The present study was designed to compare the forensic age assessment using Kvaal’s method and digital orthopantomographs with the actual age of the subjects. Materials and Methods: Present observational study was conducted in subjects with all the required complement of teeth on either right or left side, completely erupted clinical crown, without any morphological abnormalities for age estimation by Kvaal’s method with digital orthopantomograph as and compared with actual age of subjects. Results: In the present study out of 100 subjects, maximum number of subjects i.e. 61 were in the age group of 20 – 29 and minimum number of subjects i.e. 7 were in the age group of 50 –59. 43 were females and 57 were males. The regression equation was derived for all six studied teeth and coefficient of determination R2 was found for all the individual six teeth. Coefficient of determination was highest for lower first premolar (0.517) followed by upper central incisor (0.178), lower canine (0.134), lower lateral incisors, upper second premolar and upper lateral incisors. M & W-L were found significant predictors for lower first premolar, lower canine and upper central incisors. Similarly, coefficient of determination (R2) was significant higher for lower three teeth (0.478) than upper three teeth (0.069) with M & W-L were significant predictor. Regression equation derived for all six teeth together shows significant coefficient of determination R2(0.430) with M, W-L both are significant predictors. No statistically significant difference between the actual age and estimated age for all individual six teeth was noted. Mean difference lowest for lower first premolar (0.001) followed by lower canine (0.007). Conclusion: We noted that age assessment using Kvaal’s method with digital orthopantomographas and actual age of the subjects were comparable & no significant difference was noted. Kvaal’s method with digital orthopantomographas is a better option for age estimation without teeth removal.

Receptiveness of Maintaining Dental Records for Forensic and Other Matters

Background: Dental records assume a significant part as these might be utilized in identification of dead or missing humans, as proof in court and in criminological dentistry as discoveries of posthumous assessments are contrasted with antemortem dental evidence that have been well-maintained. Aim: To evaluate the awareness regarding significance of dental records and receptiveness of the practitioner toward maintenance in proper pattern. Method: This cross sectional descriptive was carried out between September and December, 2019 at established dental institution of Lahore. A questionnaire containing 16 close ended question was formulated and distributed to all the participants. We seek approval from ethical committee of Lahore Medical & Dental College. Statistics was investigated through SPSS version 20; Pearson correlation coefficient was utilized. Results: A total of 350 dental practitioners took part in this study, statistics revealed that 68.3 % were familiar with importance of maintaining records. Though 96 % dental professionals record the full name, age and gender of patients, 94% explore medical history, 78% record various developmental dental anomalies and 39 % notice decayed, missed or filled teeth; but in general 55.4% percent maintain the patient-related correspondence. Amongst them 33.5% of dental professionals preserve the dental file, 40% percent conserve the radiographs, 29% photographs of the patients, and just 10% of the dentists preserve the casts. Duration of conserving dental records found inconstant; 40% sustain all the patient-related correspondence for a month or less, 21.20 % for a half year, 18.4 % for a year, 6.4% as long as 5 years and just 1 % for around 10 years. Conclusion: Information and receptiveness of maintaining records among the dental professionals of Lahore is inadequate, improvement can be accomplished by education and training. Keywords: dental records, identification, forensic dentistry, patient chart

The transition from hunting–gathering to agriculture in Nubia: dental evidence for and against selection, population continuity and discontinuity

Some researchers posit population continuity between Late Palaeolithic hunter–gatherers of the late Pleistocene and Holocene agriculturalists from Lower (northern) Nubia, in northeast Africa. Substantial craniodental differences in these time-successive groups are suggested to result from in situ evolution. Specifically, these populations are considered a model example for subsistence-related selection worldwide in the transition to agriculture. Others question continuity, with findings indicating that the largely homogeneous Holocene populations differ significantly from late Pleistocene Lower Nubians. If the latter are representative of the local populace, post-Pleistocene discontinuity is implied. So who was ancestral to the Holocene agriculturalists? Dental morphological analyses of 18 samples (1075 individuals), including one dated to the 12th millennium BCE from Al Khiday, near the Upper Nubian border, may provide an answer. It is the first Late Palaeolithic sample ( n = 55) recovered within the region in approximately 50 years. Using the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System to record traits and multivariate statistics to estimate biological affinities, Al Khiday is comparable to several Holocene samples, yet also highly divergent from contemporaneous Lower Nubians. Thus, population continuity is indicated after all, but with late Pleistocene Upper—rather than Lower Nubians as originally suggested—assuming dental traits are adequate proxies for ancient DNA.

Awareness of Forensic Odontology among Dental Students, Academicians, and Dental Practitioners in Gujarat: A Questionnaire Based, Cross Sectional Study

Aim: This survey aimed to evaluate the awareness of forensic odontology (FO) subject among dental students, dental academicians (DAs), and dental practitioners (DPs) in Gujarat state. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire sheet containing 14 questions was answered by 607 participants consisting of dental students, DAs, and DPs in Gujarat. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the responses, and the results were presented as frequencies and percentages. The Chi‑square test was used to compare the responses among the groups, and the level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: A total of 607 participants answered the questionnaire form. Out of 212 UG students, 175 (82.5%) were aware of the FO branch and 181 (85.4%) agreed to FO as a promising field in dentistry. The majority of the undergraduate (UG) students agreed that FO should be taught as a separate subject at UG and postgraduate level. The majority of the participants (95.7%) agreed that dental evidence plays an important role in forensic cases. Nearly 80% of the respondents agreed for a separate PG course in FO and around 37% of them opted for MDS course in FO. Bitemark analysis and dental age estimations were considered the promising domains in FO by >80% of the participants. Conclusion: This questionnaire study was performed to analyze the awareness of FO among dental students, DPs, and DAs. The majority of the study participants were aware of FO. A thorough review of the literature on a similar topic was also done.