Digitalised exercise material in forensic odontology

Introduction This paper presents digital educational material in forensic odontology, including dental identification after multiple fatalities and dental age estimation from different age groups. Material and method Electronic patient records consisting of intraoral scans of the dentition, digital radiographs, photographs and written dental records were collected. Exercises in age estimations contained digital radiographs and photographs of ground tooth sections, with digital measuring tools and tables according to age groups. The teaching material was organised as a module in an electronic Learning Management System with external links to all relevant teaching material. Results For the identification exercises, intraoral scans and the latest digital radiographs simulated the postmortem examination of the deceased. For comparison, all other radiographs, photographs and dental records were available as antemortem material. The exercise was to match postmortem findings with the antemortem records using the Interpol standard and reconciliation. Age assessment of children used designated tables to grade tooth development on digital radiographs. For adults, non-destructive methods, digital radiographs, photographs and measuring tools were used. Discussion The teaching concept was hybrid, but it can easily be adapted as a fully digital exercise. The instructions and written material can be translated into different languages. The level of difficulty in the exercises can be adjusted according to the participant’s level of knowledge. Conclusion The educational material embraces the new possibilities for digitalisation and intraoral scanning. This might be a valuable tool for motivating and engaging the students in their participation and understanding of the subject.

Palatal rugoscopy: Individuality and gender differences in subset of population of Karachi.

Objectives: To evaluate the individuality of palatal rugae patten and correlate them in males and females in different age groups by using Trobo’s classification. Study Design: Cross Sectional. Setting: Department of Prosthodontics, Dow Dental College, Dow University of Health Sciences. Period: September 2019 to January 2020. Material & Methods: This study comprised of ninety-four participants with equal number of males and females from 10 years to 70 years, visiting the Prosthodontic department. Study casts included were free of dental abnormality, trauma, malocclusion, orthodontic problems, and deformity in palatal rugae area. Sample size was calculated from software name openepi.com with 95% confidence interval. Data was tabulated and SPSS version 22.0 was used to identify the results. Results: Frequency distribution was performed among age groups in which second group (20 to 39 years) has highest frequency with 52 in number. The cross tab between age group and type of rugae was made which showed group II, having age between 20 to 39 years, had the highest number of palatal rugae configurations amongst all. Conclusion: Sinuous or type E was the predominant type of palatal rugae found in this study. The study did not show significant difference in gender, however number of rugae were found consistently more in young adults with propensity towards individuality. Their use can thus be justified for dental identification in forensic odontology.

Maintenance of Dental Records and Forensic Odontology Awareness: A Survey of Croatian Dentists with Implications for Dental Education

Forensic odontology is the application of dentistry within the criminal justice system. Forensic expertise, including dental identification, mostly relies on dental records. We explored the practice of maintaining dental records among Croatian dentists, as well as their knowledge of legal regulations and the application of dental records in forensic odontology. In all, 145 dentists participated in an online survey. Questions covered general information on dentists, maintenance of dental records, and knowledge of legal requirements and forensic odontology. Overall, 70% of dentists obtain and archive written informed consents, while 87% record dental status. Generally, non-carious dental lesions and developmental dental anomalies were not recorded. About 72% of dentists record filling material and surfaces. Only 32% of dentists know the legal requirements for keeping records, whereas 21% have no knowledge of forensic odontology and its purpose. The survey revealed different practices in the maintenance of dental records, including significant flaws and lack of awareness of its forensic importance. This obvious need for additional education on proper maintenance of dental records could be met by including forensic odontology in compulsory undergraduate courses and postgraduate dental education. Establishing national and international standards in dental charting would comply with contemporary trends in health care and the requirements of forensic expertise.

DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING AND METHODICAL PROGRAMS HALOSERE AND SOMATOSCOPE FOR STUDENTS OF DENTAL FACULTY

Currently, the study of cheiloscopy and palatoscopy among students of the faculty of dentistry is particularly popular. The purpose of this study is to popularize personal identification in dental practice. The study attempted to introduce a training module for dentists to improve the recording and interpretation of data in the field of cheiloscopy and palatoscopy. A total of 93 first-year dental residents took part in the study. An important aspect of dental identification in the educational process is the criterion of system filtering and step-by-step division at various levels of education. We have proposed a modern identification method for graphological analysis of anatomical landmarks, by which a comparison was made between the identification of the contours of the wrinkles of the lips and the palate. Statistical processing included counting with the addition of the Likert scale. Then the proportions of the exact match were compared before and after training. Thus, the development of a training program on forensic practice in dentistry not only helps to establish the identity of a person, but can also help in comparing records and identifying two identical structures in dental parameters. The data obtained in the course of the study contribute to the expansion of clinical thinking, dental awareness among students in the field of dental identity identification.

Sistem Identifikasi Usia Manusia pada Citra Panoramic Radiograph Gigi Molar Pertama

ABSTRAKOdontologi forensik merupakan sebuah cabang ilmu forensik yang melakukan proses identifikasi berdasarkan gigi. Gigi merupakan salah satu bagian tubuh manusia paling kuat kuat. Dalam masa pertumbuhan, gigi manusia mengalami degeneratif pada usia tertentu, sehingga gigi dapat menjadi media dalam proses identifikasi usia. Pada penelitian ini, dirancang sistem pengolahan citra yang dapat mendeteksi usia manusia pada citra radiograf panoramik gigi. Sistem ini menggunakan metode Binary Large Object dan Decision Tree. Berdasarkan hasil pengujian, sistem dapat mendeteksi usia berdasarkan citra gigi molar pertama dengan tingkat akurasi lebih dari 80%, pada saat menggunakan parameter structuring element jenis Disk dengan jari-jari 4 piksel, ciri area dan rasio pulpa, serta jenis algoritma pada decision tree yaitu curvature dengan jumlah 50 percabangan.Kata kunci: citra radiograf panoramik, pulpa gigi, molar pertama, decision tree, binary large object ABSTRACTForensic odontology is a branch of forensic science that carries out dental identification processes. Teeth are one of the strongest parts of the human body In the period of growth, human teeth degenerative at a certain age, so that teeth can be a medium in the process of age identification. In this study, an image processing system was designed that could detect human age on dental panoramic radiographs. This system using the Binary Large Object and Decision Tree methods. Based on the test results, the system can detect age based on the image of the first molar with an accuracy level of more than 80%, when using a Disk type structuring element parameter with a radius of 4 pixels, the area and pulp ratio features, and the type of algorithm in the decision tree, namely curvature with the number of 50 branches.Keywords: panoramic radiograph image, teeth pulp, first molar, decision tree,binary large object

Electronic health record and blockchain architecture: forensic chain hypothesis for human identification

Background Forensic dental identification relies on the collection and comparison of antemortem and postmortem dental data and dental evidence. There are software solutions capable of archiving postmortem (PM) and antemortem (AM) data, with search and comparative tools which are user-centric and do not allow open search options and data mining of all dental related data, except through the use of coded data. This reduces interoperability and raises dental data incompatibility challenges. Blockchain technology could help introduce a trusted, secure, and holistic ecosystem in the electronic health record (EHR) system with a forensic interface accessed by experts in forensic pathology and forensic odontology for the purpose of identifying human remains and retrieve identifying data of compatible missing persons from the health and dental electronic record system, with the further advantage of protecting data breaches, redundancies, inconsistencies, and errors. Blockchain technology, and a forensic chain, can enhance forensic data management and human identification process by managing the missing person lists, create AM data repositories as shared data with the EHRs of living individuals, create PM data repositories of recovered from identifying autopsies unidentified persons, and support the preliminary comparison of compatible biological profiles during the final reconciliation phase. Conclusion In this hypothesis, author investigates possible applications of blockchain technology as a holistic technical and interoperability solution for managing both health/dental data for a medical as forensic human identification use.