Forensic Dentistry: An Overview of the Human Identification’s Techniques of this Dental Specialty

Luciana Conceiç&atil

Abstract

The dentist who graduates to work in a dental clinical practice, finds a new professional branch in Forensic Dentistry. This review article reports the different fields of Forensic Dentistry and shows the importance of this specialty. Furthermore, it presents a review of current literature on different oral methods of human identification (dental arch exams, palatal rugae, and tooth extractions for the posterior examination of the DNA of the dental pulp) that are responsibility of the forensic dentist. The dentist is the only one who has the proper skills to investigate forensic clues found in a cadaver. A vast knowledge is required of the dentist to work in this area, because of the many responsibilities.