Are Tooth Prints a Hard Tissue Equivalence of Finger Print in Mass Disaster: A Rationalized Review

• Published in: Journal of pharmacy & bioallied science Vol. 9; no. Suppl 1; pp. S29 - S33
• Main Authors: Sha, Shaik Kamal, Rao, B Vengal, Rao, M Sirisha, Kumari, K V Halini, Chinna, Sudarshan Kumar, Sahu, Divya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 01-11-2017; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Acids; Ameloglyphics; Analysis; Automation; biometric analysis; Biometrics; Calcification; Cellulose acetate; Decomposition; Dental enamel; Dental pulp; Dentin; Dentistry; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Disasters; DNA; Enamel; Etching; Fingerprints; Forensic science; Forensic sciences; Histology; Identification; mass disaster; Morphology; Public health; Research centers; Review; Teeth; tooth prints; biometric analysis; mass disaster; Ameloglyphics; tooth prints
• ISSN: 0976-4879; 0975-7406; 0975-7406
• DOI: 10.4103/jpbs.JPBS_131_17

Personal identification methods may not be efficient when bodies are decomposed, burned, in cases of mass disasters when soft tissue cannot provide reliable information or has been lost. Various methods currently employed in forensic odontology for personal identification include comparing with antemortem dental charts, rugoscopy, denture labeling, DNA analysis from dental pulp, bite mark analysis, etc., Recently, there is growing interest in the study of enamel rod end patterns. These enamel rod end patterns are termed as "Tooth prints" and the study of these prints is known as "Ameloglyphics" (amelo: Enamel, Glyphics: Carvings). This review encompasses about the basis of using enamel rod end patterns, methods of obtaining the patterns and further suggests these tooth prints as an analogy to finger print in personal identification in mass disasters.