Dental anomalies and their value in human identification: a case report

Abstract

Forensic odontology and anthropology provide valuable support with regard to human identification. In some cases, when soft tissue is destroyed, carbonized or absent for whatever reason, bones and teeth become the only source of information about the identity of the deceased. In human identification, anything different, such as variation from normality, becomes an important tool when trying to establish the identity of the deceased. This paper illustrates a positive identification case achieved by the diagnosis of an anomaly of tooth position, with confirmation using skull-photo superimposition. Even though forensic science presents modern techniques, in this particular case, the anomalous position of the canine played a key role on the identification, showing that the presence of a forensic dentist on the forensic team can be of great value.