1.1 Forensic Odontology: An Introduction

Question 1

 Latin word where the law courts of ancient Rome were held.

Answer 1

forensis –“of the forum”

Question 2

 Relating to the application of scientific methods and techniques to the investigation of crime.

Answer 2

 Forensic

Question 3

 Encompasses the application of specialized scientific and/or technical knowledge to questions of civil and criminal law, especially court proceedings.

Answer 3

 Forensic Science

Question 4

 A special science or discipline that deals with relationships and applications of medical facts and knowledge to legal problems.

Answer 4

 Forensic Medicine / Legal Medicine / Medical Jurisprudence

Question 5

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences Recognizes 10 Areas of Forensic Endeavor

Answer 5

1. Criminalistics
2. Engineering Science
3. General Jurisprudence
4. Odontology
5. Pathology / Biology
6. Psychiatry
7. Behavioral Science
8. Questioned Documents
9. Toxicology
10. Physical Anthropology

Question 6

the establishment of a person’s individuality.

Answer 6

• Identification

Question 7

• “The characteristics by which a person may be recognized.”

Answer 7

THE SCIENCE OF PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION

Question 8

• Visual recognition
• Personal property
• Physical features

Answer 8

THE SCIENCE OF PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION

Question 9

• The most commonly used method of identification and is used to establish both positive and presumptive identification in which a family member or friend tells the police or emergency medical personnel.

Answer 9

VISUAL IDENTIFICATION

Question 10

• Use of identification card, photograph, driver’s license, clothing, jewelry etc.

Answer 10

VISUAL IDENTIFICATION

Question 11

• Personal identification such as body tattoos and piercing, scar, keloids, antemortem radiographs and autopsy.

Answer 11

VISUAL IDENTIFICATION

Question 12

The least reliable methods:

Answer 12

Visual recognition by relatives and friends.

Question 13

IDENTIFICATION PARAMETERS (4)

Answer 13

 Dental Comparisons
 Fingerprints, palm prints and footprints
 DNA Identification
 Radiographic Superimpositions

Question 14

The gold standard of biological human identification.

Answer 14

GENETIC DNA IDENTIFICATION

Question 15

hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms.

Answer 15

• DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid

Question 16

• Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. (True or false)

Answer 16

True

Question 17

• Most of the DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called ____________), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called _________________).

Answer 17

nuclear DNA
mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA

Question 18

• An important property of DNA is that it can replicate or make copies of itself. (True or false)

Answer 18

True

Question 19

a forensic technique in criminal investigations, comparing criminal suspects’ profiles to DNA evidence to assess the likelihood of their involvement in the crime.

Answer 19

• DNA Profiling

Question 20

It is also used in:
o Parentage testing
o To establish eligibility
o Genealogical and medical research

Answer 20

DNA PROFILING

Question 21

6 USES OF DNA PROFILING

Answer 21

1) Identifying Criminals
2) Exoneration and Freedom
3) Identifying Remains in Tragedies
4) Establishing Paternity
5) Establishing Family
6) Determining Ancestry

Question 22

 Bodily fluids, shedding skin or hair follicles.

Answer 22

1) Identifying Criminals

Question 23

 Revolutionary method, both for its ability to identify perpetrators of serious crimes and for its ability to exonerate people who are innocent.

Answer 23

2) Exoneration and Freedom

Question 24

 DNA profiling is often the best way or only way to clearly identify remains.

Answer 24

3) Identifying Remains in Tragedies

Question 25

 An essential tool in the legal process by which custody, parental rights, and parental financial obligations are determined.

Answer 25

4) Establishing Paternity

Question 26

 Establishing the biological relationship between siblings, parents and children, or other extended family can be essential for the legal process of immigration on the basis of family relationships.

Answer 26

5) Establishing Family

Question 27

 An essential tool in the legal realm, for criminal investigations, for custody and paternity cases, and for immigration cases.

Answer 27

6) Determining Ancestry

Question 28

Extraction of DNA can also be used for _______ determination

Answer 28

sex

Question 29

Types of DNA that are of interest to Forensic Scientists

Answer 29

1. Nuclear DNA 2. Mitochondrial DNA 3. Y Chromosome DNA

Question 30

* The DNA sequence or order of the base pairs are the same for every cell in a person's body that has a nucleus, with the exception of reproductive cells.

Answer 30

1. Nuclear DNA

Question 31

* Inherited from both parents.

Answer 31

1. Nuclear DNA

Question 32

* A small genome found multiple times in the cytoplasm of the cell surrounding the nucleus. * Passed from mother to each of her children.

Answer 32

2. Mitochondrial DNA/ mtDNA

Question 33

* A man's mtDNA is inherited from her mother but he ___________ pass it to his children.

Answer 33

does not

Question 34

The mtDNA of only a single relative, even distantly related can be compared. (True or false)

Answer 34

True

Question 35

Not a unique identifier because maternal relatives share the same mtDNA type. (True or false)

Answer 35

True

Question 36

* Inherited by males from their male parents. * All members from the same paternal lineage will therefore have the same Y-STR

Answer 36

3. Y Chromosome DNA

Question 37

The scientific study of fingerprints.

Answer 37

* Dactylography

Question 38

the pattern on the inside of the finger in the area between the tip and the first joint and stays the same from the day of a person’s birth to the day they die.

Answer 38

fingerprint

Question 39

* A reproduction of the friction ridge arrangement present on the (nails/tips) of the fingers when an impression deposited on a touched surface.

Answer 39

tips

Question 40

* The arrangement of the friction ridge skin is (temporary/permanent) due to the underlying structure of the skin and unique because of complex physiological events both genetic and environmental that occur during fetal development.

Answer 40

permanent

Question 41

from the Latin word forensis / forum which means “court of law”.

Answer 41

forensic

Question 42

study of teeth

Answer 42

Ø Odontology

Question 43

* A specialized area of dentistry which includes the gathering and interpretation of dental and related evidence within the overall field of criminalistics.

Answer 43

FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY / FORENSIC DENTISTRY

Question 44

“that branch of dentistry which, in the interest of justice, deals with the proper handling and examination of dental evidence and with proper evaluation and presentation of dental findings." defined by who?

Answer 44

FDI (Federation Dentaire Internationale)

Question 45

* Primarily deals with identification, based on recognition of unique features present in an individual’s dental structure

Answer 45

FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY / FORENSIC DENTISTRY

Question 46

* Plays a major role in identification in man-made natural disasters or when multiple fatalities may not be identifiable.

Answer 46

FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY / FORENSIC DENTISTRY

Question 47

* Relies on sound knowledge of the teeth and jaws, incorporates dental anatomy, histology, radiography, pathology, dental materials and developmental anomalies.

Answer 47

FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY / FORENSIC DENTISTRY

Question 48

 Ranges from the identification of persons using dental records to the identification and analysis of bitemarks, to the estimation of a person's age based upon dental development or other characteristics.

Answer 48

Forensic Dental Evidence

Question 49

 Can withstand decomposition, heat degradation, water immersion and dessication.

Answer 49

 Enamel

Question 50

 Source of DNA

Answer 50

o Pulp & Crushed Tooth  Nuclear or mitochondrial DNA.

Question 51

 Established relative age of a person o Every human body age in a similar manner

Answer 51

 Teeth’s age of eruption.

Question 52

 No two person has the same dentition (T/F)

Answer 52

T

Question 53

 Each dentition is unique (T/F)

Answer 53

T

Question 54

* Identify unknown human remains through dental records and assisting at the location of a mass disaster.

Answer 54

Forensic Dentist / Forensic Odontologist

Question 55

* Presenting evidence in court as an expert witness.

Answer 55

Forensic Dentist / Forensic Odontologist

Question 56

* Eliciting the ethnicity and assisting in building up a picture of lifestyle and diet of skeletal remains at archeological sites. * Determining the gender of unidentified individuals. * Age estimation of both the living and the deceased. * Recognition and analysis of bite marks found on a victims of attack and in other substances such as foodstuff.

Answer 56

Forensic Dentist / Forensic Odontologist

Question 57

refers to a forensic investigation of the cause of death, and it is done after the occurrence of the death.

Answer 57

Post-mortem

Question 58

injuries occur after death.

Answer 58

Post-mortem

Question 59

injuries occur before death.

Answer 59

Ante-mortem

Question 60

refers to events occurring prior to death.

Answer 60

Ante-mortem

Question 61

SCOPE OF FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY (3)

Answer 61

Ø Dental identification Ø Bite marks analysis Ø Reconstructive postmortem: dental profiling