New Paradigm in Forensic Investigation: Dental evidence

Abstract

It is said that evidence material should be preserved and transferred to the laboratory for further examination in such a way that it does not get deteriorate and disintegrate in the transit. For that several preservatives are used but nature also has contributed to this aspect in the form of putting teeth in all vertebrates including the human being. The teeth, made of hardest tissue in the body encompass and preserve the evidence material in the pulp cavity without any preservative. This is the one of the most important reason why teeth has become so significant evidence material in cases of man made and natural mass disaster. The most suitable example which can be quoted about the dental evidence is 2004 Tsunami where more than 80% victims (tourists) from developed countries were identified with the help of dental evidence as fingerprint were not possible because of skin damage and DNA was not possible because of suitable comparison material.