11,August 2024
A specialized branch of forensic science that combines the science of dentistry with the legal field is known as Forensic Odontology. These are the professionals who use their dental expertise in assisting criminal investigations to identify the potential suspects, victims, and offenders of a case along with the collection of crucial evidence. Since the role played by these experts is important and irreplaceable they act as an important pillar of the crime investigation system. It is because of these people that the police and the crime branch department are able to identify and trace people on the basis of evidence like dental prints or bite marks. In cases of mass deaths like an airplane crash, these experts help the families of the deceased to identify the dead body by matching the dental prints of the dead. To give you a better understanding of the same here we have given the complete details on the scope of forensic odontology in today’s world.
Scope of Forensic Odontology:
1. Identification of Unknown Remains:
One of the most important roles played by these experts is to assist the police personnel and crime branches in identifying the unknown dead remains so as to provide closure to the family of the deceased. This is possible because of a unique feature of teeth of the human body, i.e. the durability and strength of teeth. Dental records are among the most durable parts of the human body, and they are able to withstand trauma and decomposition over several years. They can also successfully reveal the identity of dead remains.
This task of dead remains of a body is done through:
• Dental Records Comparison:The task of identification is done by comparing the
ante mortem i.e. pre-death dental records of a body with those of postmortem i.e. post-death
records. These experts compare the reports of both the samples and prepare reports on their
basis and thus make identification of the deceased. This can be done by matching X-rays, dental
charts, and dental features that are unique to each individual on this earth.
This method of identification of the dead remains is used in cases like:
Disaster Response:
In mass disasters, such as natural calamities or accidents, forensic odontologists help identify victims when traditional methods may be compromised.
1. Bite Mark Analysis:
Forensic odontologists analyze bite marks found on victims, objects, or surfaces. This analysis can provide valuable evidence in criminal investigations, particularly in cases of assault, abuse, or sexual crimes. To do so these experts work on the following principles:
Bite Mark Patterns:
Whenever these people encounter any case the first step of the investigation is to study the pattern, size, and alignment of bite marks, forensic odontologists can potentially identify the perpetrator or confirm their involvement in a crime or their presence at the crime scene.
Expert Testimony:
Once these experts are done with the task of investigating the bite marks and their patterns, they present their findings and offer expert opinions to law enforcement agencies on the relevance and implications of bite mark evidence in a case.
2. Age Estimation:
Estimating the age of individuals is not an easy task and can’t be done by other forensic experts. It is because these professionals specialize in their field and based on the dental development of a person they estimate the age of an individual. This feature of Odontology is particularly useful in cases that involve unidentified minors or individuals with unavailable or missing records. The age estimation of an individual helps a crime investigator in the following cases.
Developmental Stages: Forensic odontologists analyze and examine the dental development stages of a person to estimate his age. These experts study tooth eruption and wear patterns of an individual and therefore is able to estimate a rough idea of his age.
Legal Cases: Estimation of the age of an individual can be crucial in legal cases involving juvenile offenders or determining the age of individuals in immigration and asylum cases.
3. Analysis of Trauma and Injury:
One of the most critical aspects of this field is an analysis of trauma faced by an individual or the injuries caused to someone. Forensic odontologists examine dental and oral injuries thus determining the nature and extent of trauma experienced by a victim. This analysis by the odontologists can be critical in cases of sexual or physical assault.
This method of Odontology can be used for the following purposes:
- Trauma Identification: Forensic odontologists help the crime investigating officers in identify the patterns of injury and correlate the findings of the case with possible causes, such as physical assault or accidental injuries, and thus give closure to the case.
- Correlation with Other Evidence: These forensic experts work with other experts in this field to piece together all the findings and the evidence to draw a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances surrounding the injuries present on the body of the deceased.
4. Cold Case Resolution:
The experts in this field play an important role in helping law enforcement agencies solve such cases that become cold because of a lack of evidence and supporting witnesses. Through advancements in the dental field, these people are able to accumulate a set of dental records that can help in tracing new leads in an old case.
This can be done by the forensic odontologists by following methods:
- Re-examination of Evidence: These experts re-examine the piece of evidence collected during the previous investigation of the case including dental records and bite mark impressions and thus investigate them with new techniques or perspectives to figure out the cause and manner of an injury to conclude the case.
- Database Utilization: Another important technique that is used by these experts is to utilize the dental records and databases and use the same data for identification of the deceased or unidentified victim or the suspects of the case who were left unattended previously, using the advancements in forensic technology.
Scope of Forensic Odontologists in the Government and Private Sector:
Candidates who pursue Forensic Odontology have ample opportunities in their career. Their job profile is not restricted to just working in the dark science laboratories and performing experiments there to get the desired result. Instead, they also get the golden opportunity to work with prestigious government and private organizations. You will be surprised to know that these professionals are hired by various private and public sector organizations either through the entrance examinations conducted by the respective department of ministry or through the direct application process. For the direct application process, candidates are required to visit the official website of the ministry of the organization in which they wish to get hired and then fill out the application form followed by appearing for the interview. Some of the public and private sector organizations that hire forensic odontologists are given below:
- State Police Departments,
- Crime Branches like CBI and CID,
- Forensic Science Laboratories,
- Intelligence Bureau,
- Archaeological Survey of India,
- State and Private Universities.
- Private Detective Agencies,
- Government and Private Hospitals,
- Security Services Agencies.
The scope and spectrum of forensic odontology is vast and thus the professionals of this field also play a range of critical functions in the field of forensic science and criminal justice. From identifying the dead remains and analyzing bite marks and patterns present on a body to estimate the age of the victim and the suspect, forensic odontologists play a vital role in solving crimes and providing justice. Candidates who wish to make a career in this field should not think that their task is limited instead they must be aware of the fact that as technology advances and forensic methods evolve, the scope of forensic odontology will continue to expand and will be offering new opportunities for such professionals to contribute to the pursuit of justice.
References
1.https://explorehealthcareers.org/career/forensic-science/forensic-odontologist/#:~: text=A%20forensic%20odontologist%20must%20first,shadowing%20a%20more%20senior%20professional.
2.https://www.careers360.com/courses/forensic-dentistry-course
3.https://hospitalcareers.com/career-paths/how-to-become-a-forensic-odontologist