Possible applications of reflected UV photography in forensic odontology: Food for thought.

Abstract

Usually, in forensic sciences, ultraviolet (UV) light is used to induce fluorescence on many samples to identify and evaluate proofs (ex. fibers, gunshot residue, biologic fluids, pigments, inks and fingerprints) and different wavelength are used to better enhance the material characteristics. On the contrary, the potential use of absorbed and reflected UV has not been deeply investigated, especially in forensic odontology. The aim of this study is to evaluate the forensic potential of dental materials UV absorption and reflection and to investigate if different dental tissues and materials interact in different ways with UV radiation. A digital camera modified so to be UV sensible only and a modified flashlight were used to produce images of absorbed/reflected UV radiation of different dental materials. First results show the promising potentials of the technique in detecting dental composite resin materials, in enhancing image contrast between dentin and enamel, in enhancing enamel infractions and in possible age estimation future applications.