Genetics of Dental Anomalies: An Aid in Forensic Odontology Upadhyay Megha1, Joshi Bhawana2,* 1Research Scholar, Department of Forensic Science, Faculty of Science, SGT University, Gurugram 2Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Science, Faculty of Science, SGT University, Gurugram *Corresponding Author : Dr. Bhawana Joshi, Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Science, Faculty of Science, SGT University, Gurugram, Phone : +91-9873293603, E-mail: bhawana_fosc@sgtuniversity.org
Online Published on 28 July, 2023. Abstract Forensic odontology deals with the proper handling and examination of dental evidences and presentation of dental findings. Teeth are the most robust human body tissues and are among the last ones to disintegrate after death. Dental patterns tend to be highly individualized since no two oral cavities are alike. Forensic odontology plays a significant role in the examination and identification of individuals from the dental remains recovered in most of the disaster cases leading to mass calamities and also criminal activities such as terrorist attacks, airplanes, trains, road accidents, fires, mass murders, sexual assault, and child abuse. The identification is generally based on examining variation in a dental pattern of an individual such as anodontia, microdontia, ectopic eruption of teeth, crowding, diastema, spacing in between teeth, and many others, using dental records or radiographs. These dental characteristics are genetic and could not be hampered or destroyed by criminals in any way. The detailed insight of dental anomalies, their types, occurrence, and the different patterns could be recognised by studying their genetic makeup. This knowledge can further be used for comparing antemortem and postmortem matches to confirm an individual's identity. The genetic pedigree analysis could also aid in collecting more information on available evidences and suspects. However, absence of antemortem dental records or low-quality of recovered evidences always poses a challenge in the investigation. The recent advancements in the techniques like gene editing and human genome sequencing, has contributed to the rapid growth of forensic odontology. The amalgamation of genetics with forensic odontology can definetly enhance the information acquired during an investigation. This article emphasizes the importance of the genetic makeup of dental anomalies and their significance in a forensic investigation. Top Keywords Forensic Odontology, Genetics, Dental Anomalies, Victim Identification. Top |