A Summary of Forensic Issues Concerning Incinerated Human Dental Remains

Abstract

In order to develop the human dental identification process, enough post-mortem data must be gathered to allow a useful comparison with the deceased's antemortem records. The teeth, which also have a unique anatomical makeup, are the strongest and most indestructible components of the human body. They are most resistant to the bulk of environmental variables, such as fire, desiccation, decomposition, and prolonged immersion. Teeth are typically the only certain means to positively identify a person in the majority of natural and man-made calamities before the required radiographs, photos, or impressions can be made, it is imperative that dental evidence not be lost due to poor handling. The correct procedures must be followed while physically stabilising charred human dental remains. The integrity of extremely fragile structures is required for successful identification verification. Before the delicate remains are sent to the mortuary, the forensic dentist must stabilise these teeth to protect the preservation of potentially important identifying evidence in such cases. A meticulous approach must be adopted while dealing with any charred dental remnants and during each stage of evaluation in order to prevent losing any potential dental evidence. In this study, a step-by-step procedure that is provided as a composite review of multiple studies on cremated human dental remains is discussed along with the significance of these studies on the method of human identification.

Introduction

The most resilient feature of the human body, teeth can survive for many years after the death and yet be largely intact. They contain information about the physiological and pathological events in the person's life that are maintained as markers in the hard tissues of the teeth and are physiologically inert. Any therapeutic dental operation in the form of restorations and prostheses has the potential to change a person's dentition in a more or less specific way. It is the duty of the forensic dentist to assess this biological and chemical information and use it to assist in the identification of an unidentified body. It is one of the sections of the crime lab that is now expanding the quickest, and its use of it by law enforcement is only growing. 

Dental Identification

In China, it is becoming more and more important to make sure that digital evidence is accepted and admissible; the effectiveness of the evaluation directly influences the outcome's social acceptability and reduces the capacity of judicial evaluation to support litigation and advance judicial justice. In cases involving natural and man-made disasters, dental identification of human remains has always been important, especially when there are many casualties connected to aviation accidents. The identification is essential for reasons of justice as well as for humanitarian, legal, and religious reasons. Some sources claim that the identification technique based on dental records is successful and is still the favoured choice. A well-known and reliable method of identifying people is by their dental remnants. Dental identification requires a comparison of the ante-mortem and post-mortem dental records. A comparative method of dental identification involves proving, as accurately as possible, that the remains of the decedent at the scene of death and the details in the ante-mortem dental records belong to the same person. 

Ante-Mortem 

In other instances, despite the presence of top-notch dental records, it is impossible to discern between the dental remnants and telltale evidence of prior dental work that were recovered from the scene. In the absence of ante-mortem information, the forensic dentist creates a composite post-mortem dental profile based on the visible dental traits, which helps to focus the search for ante-mortem information. Most of the time, the deceased's age, ancestry, sex, and socioeconomic level may be determined from their post-mortem dental profile. The absence of a presumptive identification or the inability to locate dental or other ante-mortem information are more frequently the causes of an odontological study's failure. The majority of the time, the deceased may be recognised by their face features; however there are specific instances where putrefaction, physical injury, or tissue loss may make facial recognition difficult or unacceptable. The next stage of the investigation is fingerprinting, which is the most accurate method of identifying people in these circumstances. When dealing with malformed, charred, rotting, or fragmented bodies, it is, nevertheless, only partially beneficial. 

Dental Restorations

On the other hand, teeth and dental restorations have a high level of fire resistance. There are still some of their original characteristics present in them, which are typically recognisable and offer the chance for reasonably accurate and legal identification of such remains. In order to characterise the events in the person's life that may have been permanently recorded in the teeth, the forensic dentist's job is to examine the oral structures or skeletonized remains. Such information could, at most, result in a positive identification with the aid of dental records or other information that was available at the time. Teeth are crucial for identification due to their calcified state, which makes them resistant to environmental changes. They are typically not affected by post-mortem decomposition and are frequently resistant to fires, alkalis, and even weak acids. Incineration occurrences have been known to result from bombings, automobile accidents, aeroplane crashes, bombings, wrongful cremations, house fires, suicides, unlawful killings, and cremation of the victim's body. The forensic odontologist is presented with a difficult challenge when a person has been burned to the extent that only a few fragments of bone and teeth are left after the burn. The front teeth sustain the most damage in actual fires whereas the back teeth are offered the most protection. The lips and cheeks initially provide some insulation before the muscles constrict with rising heat and pull back to expose the anterior dentition. The tongue also offers some defence for the lower teeth's lingual region. The alveolar bone and gingivae additionally protect the roots from heat. These results should be considered because the majority of study has been done on removed teeth. The elements influencing how fire affects teeth include the length of exposure, the presence of materials (other than tissues) in the area between the fire and the teeth, and the temperature shift brought on by fire-quenching substances. Even while teeth and restoration materials are frequently resistant to wear, severe fire can seriously harm or destroy them. Despite being smaller and much more delicate, the burned teeth's remnants nonetheless retain some of their anatomical structure. The teeth, which are delicate and hard objects, may vary depending on chewing patterns or specific work habits. For instance, the incisal margins have noticeable cuts when seamstresses push cloth through their teeth before threading needles. Small nails or tingles are thought to be kept in cobblers' lips before being tapped into the welt of a shoe; this may also cause characteristic wear patterns as the nail passes through the incisal gap. 

Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy

According to a thorough review of previous studies, the vapours created by the materials used are alleged to lead to acidic demineralization of the anterior teeth in battery plant radiography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The colour, surface, and microscopic structure of cementum, dentin, and enamel could all be examined using these methods. It would be wise to document the extra-oral and intra-oral discoveries with photos and contemporaneous notes in case there is unintentional damage or fragmentation. Forensic investigators frequently encounter the unusual fragility of the teeth in incinerated human remains. When attempting to maintain the teeth for legal reasons, this has turned into a significant problem. Any crime or accident scene where there have been burned bodies must be aware of how sensitive the remains are. The presence of a forensic odontologist is frequently necessary in order to preserve the tooth structures before any disturbances begin the disintegration process. Forensic investigators frequently encounter the unusual fragility of the teeth in incinerated human remains. When attempting to maintain the teeth for legal reasons, this has turned into a significant problem. Any crime or accident scene where there have been burned bodies must be aware of how sensitive the remains are. The involvement of a forensic odontologist is frequently necessary in order to preserve the tooth structures before any disturbances trigger the disintegration process.

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