Forensic Odontology

Question 1

What is forensic odontology?

Answer 1

The appkication of the science of dentistry to the legal system

Question 2

What does the scope of forensic odontology include?

Answer 2

• dental identification
• mass fatality incident management
• bitemark evidence collection and analysis
• abuse
• age estimation
• expert testimony

Question 3

What are the 4 types of teeth?

Answer 3

1. Incisors
2. Canine
3. Premolars
4. Molars

Question 4

The deciduous dentition……

Answer 4

Is half formed around birth and erupts into the mouth over the next 2 years

Question 5

The first tooth of permanent dentition…..

Answer 5

Starts to form just before birth and the last tooth is complete in the early 20s

Question 6

Forensic odontologists

Answer 6

Qualified dentists who have completed an appropriate specialisation in forensic odontology and professional placement

Question 7

What is the formula for deciduous teeth?

Answer 7

2-1-2

Question 8

What is the formula for permanent dentition?

Answer 8

2-1-2-3

Question 9

Why is standardising dental terminology important?

Answer 9

• prevents misrepresentation of results in a forensic context
• facilitates the maintenance of precise dental records
• make dental data understandable for practitioners from diverse training backgrounds

Question 10

Teeth are not …… during growth

Answer 10

Static

Question 11

The shedding of deciduous teeth occurs at a very ………… sequence wishing a given population

Answer 11

Predictable

Question 12

What is age estimation in the living used for?

Answer 12

Illegal cross-border migrations

Question 13

Forensic age estimation is required to ascertain whether a person has reached … …. .. ……. …………

Answer 13

The age of criminal responsibility

Question 14

In Australia there are very ………… judicial outcomes if you are deemed to be a child compared to an adult

Answer 14

Different

Question 15

What are the 4 steps in the dental identification methodology?

Answer 15

1. Obtaining post-mortem photographs, radiographs and accurate charting
2. Procurement of ante-mortem films, written notes and charts
3. Comparison between ante- and post-mortem data
4. One of 4 possible conclusions reached

Question 16

The ……. of the remains will dictate the complexity of the examination

Answer 16

Condition

Question 17

What is a closed scenario?

Answer 17

Known manifest of victims

Question 18

What is an open scenario?

Answer 18

Unknown victims and reliant on reports of missing individuals

Question 19

What are the 2 types of discrepancies in the comparison process?

Answer 19

1. Explainable

2. Unexplainable

Question 20

What are explainable discrepancies?

Answer 20

Normally relate to the time elapsed between antes and post-mortem records, eg extracted teeth, enlarged restorations

Question 21

What are unexplainable discrepancies?

Answer 21

If a tooth is not present in the ante-mortem records but is present in the post mortem records, an exclusion must be made

Question 22

What are the 4 possible conclusions?

Answer 22

1. Positive identification
2. Possible identification
3. Insufficient evidence
4. Exclusion

Question 23

Possible conclusions: positive identification

Answer 23

The ante-mortem and post-mortem data match in sufficient detail, with no unexplainable discordances, to establish they are from the same individual

Question 24

Possible conclusions: possible identification

Answer 24

The ante-mortem and post-mortem data have consistent features but, because of the quality of either the post-mortem remains or ante-mortem evidence, it is not possible to establish positively

Question 25

Possible conclusions: insufficient evidence

Answer 25

The available information is insufficient to form the basis for a conclusion

Question 26

Possible conclusions: exclusion

Answer 26

The ante-mortem and post-mortem data are clearly inconsistent

Question 27

What occurs in a post-mortem dental examination?

Answer 27

- a methodological and controlled process involving obtaining post-mortem photographs, radiographs and accurate charting - aim is to locate, identify and document anatomical structures, restorations and appliances that will aid in the comparison process

Question 28

What are the steps in the process of tooth analysis?

Answer 28

1. Post mortem examination 2. Ante mortem examination 3. Comparison process 4. Conclusion