Abstract
ABSTRACTForensic odontology is a specialty of dental sciences that deals with dental evidence in the interest of the justice system. The science of autopsy has been developing from the ancient times even before the popularization of general medicine. The objective of a medico-legal autopsy is to identify significant clues for an ongoing forensic investigation. However, in certain circumstances, it is difficult to conduct an oral examination owing to the anatomic location of the oral cavity. The onset of rigor mortis after death poses further complications. Thus, skillful and sequential dissections of the oral and para-oral structures are required to expose the dentition. Dental autopsy includes incisions and resection of the jaw for the detailed examination of the oral cavity. The procedure involves various modes of examination, including visual and radiographic, which help in human identification in forensic investigation. The present paper provides an overview of the various methods of dental autopsy.
Highlights
The meaning of autopsy is “to see for oneself,” and in the modern context, it denotes the postmortem examination of the dead.[1]
The first-ever medico-legal autopsy was conducted in mid-13th century at the University of Bologna in Italy.[5]
Bartolomeo da Varignana is thought to have performed the first autopsy in a case of poisoning in 1302.6 The fundamentals of modern autopsy were introduced by Friedrich Albert Zenker (1825–1898) and Rudolf Virchow (1821–1902) in 19th century in Germany.[7,8]
Summary
The meaning of autopsy is “to see for oneself,” and in the modern context, it denotes the postmortem examination of the dead.[1]. If rigor mortis sets in, exposure of the oral cavity becomes very difficult.[13] In such cases, dental profiling is achieved by making a systematic incision and reflection of the skin, muscle, and fascia for a proper view of the oral cavity. This step is important for the identification of the deceased as it allows radiographic, photographic, and visual examination of the oral cavity.[14] It is recommended in specific conditions such as advanced decomposition, charred victims, and traumatic death involving ballistic or weapon injury.[15]
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