Fashion for a reason: Oral jewellery to aid forensic odontology

Abstract

Jewellery along with other personal effects have been used for human identification and acknowledged in the INTERPOL (The International Criminal Police Organization) DVI (disaster victim identification) forms. It is hypothesised that modified oral jewellery has scope as a unique personal effect that can be used in combination with other identifiers. The main aim of this study was to investigate the opinions on the use of modified tooth/oral jewellery items among 90 subjects. The secondary aim was to create and suggest an elaborated oral charting system to document oral jewellery and tooth modifications and respective abbreviations. A number of 30 dental students, 30 dentists and 30 designers/tattoo & piercing artists (groups G1, G2 and G3) responded to online closed-ended surveys (versions V1, V2 and V3). As results, G1 considered jewellery ‘fashion/contemporary’ (77%), unique and accepted the idea of wearing a customised oral jewellery (equally 47%). G2 considered oral jewellery as ‘disgusting/vile fashion’ (46.66%), unique (60%) and person’ (60%). 53% accepted the idea of presenting oral jewellery to their patients. G3 associated it to ‘a sign of rebellion’ (53.3%), unique (40%) and accepted the idea of making customised oral jewellery (50%)Preferable designs were tooth jewel (G1), implant with Hallmark (G2) and fixed tooth ring (G3). As conclusions, oral jewellery and piercings are highly acceptable by the dental students but the uniqueness of oral jewellery was more recognized by the dentists. Modified oral jewellery has been fairly accepted among all but the preferable type of design varied. A recording of those by the dentist could potentially aid in forensic dental identifications. Therefore, an elaborated oral charting system to document oral jewellery and tooth modifications and respective abbreviations were also suggested to grant a useful reason to this fashion.