Role of Dental Science in Fore...

Role of Dental Science in Forensic Investigation

Role of Dental Science in Forensic Investigation Quiz Crafted by-


Dr. Mayuri Ganguly Soni


Medical Officer in Police Hospital Rourkela


Introduction to Role of Dental Science in Forensic Investigation


The branch of Forensic odontology has gained immense importance in the examination of dental evidence and in the identification of victims of mass disasters, abuse, or organized crimes. The various dental identification methods used by forensic odontologists include examination and comparison of dental remains, postmortem dental profiling, determination of the age of the individual by knowledge of eruption sequence, neonatal line information, striae of Retzius, Schour and Massler chart, and Gustafson’s index and radiographic assessment, determination of sex of the individual by cranial morphology and amelogenin, determination of ancestry and race, DNA isolation from teeth and comparison with antemortal DNA extracts, examination, and analysis of bite mark evidence, the study of lip prints and palatal rugae patterns, a knowledge of habits and analysis of previous dental records. Hence it is important for a forensic odontologist to possess an interdisciplinary knowledge of dental science and it is equally important for all dental practitioners to maintain and preserve accurate dental records for a considerable period of time


Let's look at the questions and their answers:


Ques 1. Most common biometric method for identifying burnt, decomposed, skeletonized and fragmented          remains is

a)Fingerprints                                                      

b)DNA from tissue remains

c)Dental profiling                                                       

d)None of the above


Answer- c) Dental profiling


Ques 2. Jaw resection and preservation for dental examination is required in

a)Visually identifiable body                                                     

b)Decomposed/burnt body

c)All type of bodies                                                        

d)None of the above


Answer-b) Decomposed/burnt body


Ques 3. Win ID3 is a

a) Computer assisted dental identification software                        

b) Digital dental radiographic senser

c) Portable dental x-ray device

d) None of the above


Answer- a) Computer assisted dental identification software        


Ques 4. Demirjian method for age estimation is based on

a) Third molar development                                                      

b) Mixed dentition pattern

c) Pulp-tooth ratio                                                       

d) Secondary dentin deposition


Answer- a) Third molar development 


Ques 5.  Non invasive method for collection of bite mark pattern from human/inmate object is

a) Photography                                                      

b) Impression using addition silicone

c) Both                                                         

d) None of the above


Answer- a) Photography 


Ques 6. Which type of photographic imaging is used to visualize the bite mark injury even after few days of healing

a) Alternate light/Fluorescent photography           

b) Reflective ultraviolet (UVA) photography

c) Infrared photography

d) Cannot be visualized by any of the light source                        


Answer-b) Reflective ultraviolet (UVA) photography


Ques 7. What is the term used by the forensic dentist during report writing for a pattern with general shape and size resembling bitemark but some features such as tooth marks or arch configuration is missing, distorted or incomplete

a) Is a bitemark                                                     

b) Not a bitemark

c) May be a bitemark                                                       

d) Suggestive of a bitemark


Answer- d) Suggestive of a bitemark


Ques 8. Denture bar coding is

a) Surface method for denture marking                                           

b) Inclusion method for denture marking

c) Able to store large information and withstand high temperature              

d) Both b) and c)


Answer-d)  Both b) and c)


Ques 9. Following is/are included in dental records

a) Clinical details of the patient                                              

b) Radiographs and photographs

c) Study casts                                                       

d) All of the above


Answer- d) All of the above


Ques 10. Genetic marker found in tooth enamel used for sex typing is

a) TPOX                                                      

b) Amelogenin

c) vWA                                                       

d) D1S80


Answer- b) Amelogenin


Ques 11. According to ABFO manual, a feature, trait or pattern that distinguishes bitemark from other patterned injuries is a

a) Anomaly                                                       

b) Size characteristics

c) Class characteristics

d) Individual characteristics                                            


Answer- c) Class characteristics


Ques 12.  Facial reconstruction technique is

a) Used as a routine identification technique                         

b) Synonym for facial superimposition technique

c) Used when no ante-mortem data is available                                  

d) The best identification technique


Answer- c) Used when no ante-mortem data is available


Ques 13. Index use to determine race from a given skull

a) Cephalic index                                                      

b) Corpobasal index

c) Sciatic notch index                                                      

d) None of the above


Answer- a) Cephalic index   


Ques 14. Age estimation from development and calcification of teeth is

a) Primary characteristics of identification                                

b) Specially plays role in earlier years of life

c) Both a and b are correct                                                   

d) None of the above


Answer- c) Both a and b are correct  


Ques 15. First permanent tooth to erupt is

a) Molars                                                      

b) Incisors 

c) Canines                                                        

d) Premolars 


Answer- a)  Molars

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