Can dental charting from a post-mortem computed tomographical scan produce a confident forensic identification without traditional physical and radiographic examination

Abstract

Dental comparison is internationally accepted as one of the primary scientific methods of identification of a deceased person or persons. With advances in modern technology the use of post-mortem computed tomography to aid forensic medicine and forensic odontology is on the increase. In this study we explore if odontologists with varying levels of experience in forensic odontology, and more specifically with charting from a multi-planar reformation, can extrapolate data of equivalent value from computer tomographic images as traditional radiographs. We also assess their confidence in their ability to formulate a valid opinion from this data alone. Australian odontologists were asked to complete a questionnaire which required dental charting from a variety of radiographic images and explored the practitioner’s confidence in the records produced. Experience level had very little impact upon the confidence of charting from computed tomography images alone, especially in the presence of metallic restorations; however, the results of the survey indicate that currently practitioners are not confident in charting from a multi-planar reformation alone and that traditional physical and radiographic examinations are still indicated.