Journal of Forensic Odonto-Stomatology (JFOS) Online
ISSN 2219-67749
Vol 25, No 2.
December 2007.
Please note that this volume of the Journal is not yet available in electronic format. Paper copies of the journal are awaiting scanning.
THE ACCURACY OF DENTAL PANORAMIC RADIOGRAPHY AS AN INDICATOR OF CHRONOLOGICAL AGE IN IRANIAN INDIVIDUALS
F. Ardakani, N. Bashardoust, M Sheikhha
Growth
rate is dependent on genetic and environmental factors and varies between the
sexes, between individuals of the same population and between populations
themselves. There is strong concern over the dental and bone testing procedures
conducted to determine the age of young individuals for legal reasons.
Inaccurate results would lead authorities to imprison some children in adult
prisons, which are unsafe and inappropriate for minors.
This
study was designed to determine the relationship between dental age, the age
from dental panoramic radiography, skeletal age and chronological age in
patients referring to dental clinics of Yazd, Iran, for third molar surgery. The
sample for the study consisted of 58 subjects between 15-25 years of age. The
results indicated that estimating the age by examination of extracted lower
wisdom teeth was most accurate. However, as use of this method i.e. extraction
of tooth or dental surgery is not possible in normal individuals. Estimating the
age from dental panoramic radiography showed high accuracy when applied to the
patients.
(J Forensic Odontostomatol 2007;25:30-5)
Applicability of the Dimodent Equation of sex
Prediction in a Lebanese Population Sample
F.Ayoub, A.Cassia, S.Chartouni, F.Atiyeh, A.Rizk,
M.Yehya, Z.Majzoub, A.Abi-Farah
Background: Sexual dimorphism represents a
group of morphologic characteristics that differentiate a male from a female.
Among these dimorphic traits, tooth size has been evaluated in various
populations for its interest in anthropologic and forensic applications. Recent
studies have shown that dental dimorphism is population-specific and that the
most dimorphic tooth is the mandibular canine. In addition to the dimension of
single teeth in dimorphic dental assessment, dimorphism has been evaluated,
using equation of prediction, applying various dimensions of one or more teeth
or indices. Purpose: The
objective of this preliminary study was to evaluate the applicability of the
Dimodent predictive equation in sex determination in a sample of Lebanese young
individuals. Materials and Methods:
Mesiodistal widths of the mandibular canine and lateral incisor were measured
from dental casts of the permanent teeth of 60 Lebanese University dental
students (30 males and 30 females), aged 18-25 years. The sex-predictive
equation of Fronty was applied to calculate the percentage of
accurately-diagnosed sexes. Results: Accuracy
of sex prediction ranged from 63.3% for males and 90% for females. Overall, the
Dimodent equation enabled a correct sex determination in 76.7% of the cases.
When compared to the accuracy obtained with this equation in a French population
sample, the accuracy was significantly different (Z=3.1225). Conclusions:
This research supports earlier studies that sexual dimorphism is population
specific. The difficulty or lack of dimorphism seems to originate from male
subjects. Further investigations should include the preparation of
population-specific prediction tables and testing their accuracy in a larger
sample with a strongly-established Lebanese background.
(J Forensic Odontostomatol 2007;25:36-9)
the stability of lip pattern characteristics over time
R.C. Coward
This paper studied the lip
prints of 85 subjects over a seven-month period. The patterns of the vermilion
zone were shown to be stable with the passage of time.
The number of matching features needed to prove concurrence between two
prints was determined to be eight. Features
of the lip print relative to the surrounding anatomy were also examined and
found to be stable, recordable and to contribute to the usefulness of lip prints
as a forensic tool.
(J Forensic Odontostomatol 2007;25:40-56)
AN
ATYPICAL AIR BAG INJURY?
A. De Salvia, L. Sergolini, D.
Pescarolo
The air bag is a passive safety device capable of saving many human lives
each year. However, in a certain
number of cases, it is itself the source of injuries to the occupants of a motor
vehicle, mostly of cutaneous burns. The case describes peculiar abrasions to the
enamel of the teeth scraped by the air bag, in particular atypic lesions
involving the upper arch showing buccal rings of demineralization associated
with roughness of the enamel that progressively assume a trend of fine parallel
oblique striae from bottom to top and from left to right, as literature
describes for cutaneous burns due to air bag insult.
(J Forensic
Odontostomatol 2007;25:57-60)
“CHOUMP”
ENAMEL TATTOOS
S. Suhas, C. Anand Kumar
Identification
of both living and deceased individuals may be made by recognition of physical
characteristics or comparison with data from medical or dental records. Data
with low frequency of occurrence are prised by identification specialists.
Two cases are presented of highly individual enamel tattoos.
(J Forensic Odontostomatol 2007;25:61-2)
PROCEDURES FOR THE COLLECTION OF DENTAL
RECORDS FOR PERSON IDENTIFICATION
K.A. Brown
Dental
treatment records offer a valuable resource for establishing the identification
of deceased persons by means of dental comparison as required for forensic
purposes. The creation, maintenance, storage and custody of such records is a
legal and ethical duty of each dental practitioner. Dentists in Australia are
also bound by federal and state legislation to protect their patients’
confidentiality at all times. They are also required by law to note and report
evidence of child abuse observed in the course of their treatment.
When
dental records are required for forensic purposes certain procedures should be
followed for their release and collection. This paper discusses these
procedures, and illustrates by reference to an actual case the possible
consequences of deviating from established protocols.
(J Forensic Odontostomatol 2007;25:63-4)