Role of Radiology in Forensic Dentistry
Journal of Indian Academy of Oral Medicine and Radiology, July-September 2011;23(3):229-231 229
JIAOMR
Role of Radiology in Forensic Dentistry
1T Chandrasekhar, 2P Vennila
1Professor and Head, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Sri Ramakrishna Dental College and Hospital
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
2Senior Lecturer, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Sri Ramakrishna Dental College and Hospital
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Correspondence: T Chandrasekhar, Professor and Head, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Sri Ramakrishna
Dental College and Hospital, SNR College Road, Avarampalayam, Coimbatore-641006, Tamil Nadu, India
e-mail: shootxray@gmail.com
REVIEW ARTICLE
ABSTRACT
Forensic radiology is a specialized area of medical imaging utilizing radiological techniques to assist physicians and pathologists in matter
pertaining to the law. Postmortem dental radiographs are the most consistent part of the antemortem records that can be transmitted during
the forensic examination procedures. Pathologists regularly use radiographic images during the course of autopsy to assist them in identification
of foreign bodies or determination of death. Forensic radiology can be used in suspicious death or murder, in analysis of adverse medical
events, solving legal matters, to detect child abuse, drug trafficking, body identification and disease identification. Using the possibilities of
radiology, special characteristics of the internal structures of the dentomaxillofacial region can be revealed. We can also detect endodontic
treatments, healing extraction sockets, implants or even tooth colored restoration. Therefore, we can give answers to problems dealing with
identification procedures, mass disaster and dental age estimation.
Keywords: Radiology, Forensic dentistry, Victim identification.
INTRODUCTION
Forensic dentistry (FD) deals with examination of dental
evidences with proper evaluation of dental findings. Forensic
dentistry is present in processes of postmortem human
identification from the early procedures (general identification)
comprising estimation of ethnic groups, skin color and other
personal characteristics, such as height and diagnosis of skin
spots or fluids present or originating from the oral cavity, or
even in the definition of time and cause of the death, to the
irrefutable possibility of individual identification. Radiology
has been used extensively in conventional dental identification
based on anatomy and by using comparison of maxillofacial
skeletal landmarks in antemortem and postmortem records.1
HISTORY
Application of radiology in forensic sciences was introduced
in 1896, just one year following the X-ray discovery by
Roentgen, to demonstrate the presence of lead bullets inside
the head of a victim.2 Schuller3 in 1921, proposed the possibility
of utilizing radiological images of facial sinuses for
identification purposes. Hazebroucq et al4 in 1993, described a
system for identification based on osteotomy of maxilla and
mandible which can also be used for age determination. Austin
and Maples5 (1994) have described a study for evaluating the
accuracy of methods of image superimposition and concludes
that with two antemortem radiographs (frontal and lateral view)
and without dental data, identification can be made.
Andersen and Wensel6 in 1995, through antemortem and
postmortem simulation, have evaluated the capacity of
individual identification by analyzing the conventional bite-wing
films and radiographic subtraction, based on scoring system
(1-eliminated, 2-possible, 3-likely, 4-certain).
UTILIZATION OF IMAGES IN
FORENSIC DENTISTRY
In forensic radiology, identification process is characterized
by utilization of appropriate techniques and means to discover
identity, and can be developed by skilled technicians or
professionals with differentiated specific knowledge in areas
of biology and with appropriate techniques to achieve human
identification.7
Identification is made by comparison of antemortem and
postmortem radiographs. Anatomical details like shape of teeth,
roots, supernumerary teeth, missing and present teeth, attrition,
abrasion, coronal fracture, signs of bone resorption resulting
from periodontal disease, bone pathology, diastemas, dental
cavities, endodontic treatment, interradicular and intracoronal
posts, implants, extraction socket and dental prostheses can be
used for identification.8
Accurate forensic dental identification requires point-by-
point comparison of set of intraoral radiographs, which can be
made as many as 18 to 21 images, in which all points of
comparison must match exactly or in which differences must
be explainable.9
CONVENTIONAL RADIOGRAPHY vs
DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY
Digital radiography, used for a decade or more by radiologists
in most hospitals, has become the solution of choice in mass
10.5005/jp-journals-10011-1134
