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Human identification can be performed by several methods, as anatomical structures of the facial skeletal and individuals signals. The aim of this study was to report a case of human identification from the morphological evaluation of the frontal sinus and the presence of titanium plates in skull after examination of Postero Anterior (PA) radiographs ante and postmortem. In 2008 a skull was found on a highway. Later, an alleged victim was found , who disappeared in late 2007. The skull showed postmortem teeth lost, presence of round hole in the right supra-orbital region, consistent with lesion caused by gunshot. It was also noted the presence of a miniplate of bone fixation in the form of inverted "T" in several locations of the nasal bones and bone remodeling signals in the face. PA radiograph of the skull was performed for the purpose of comparison with the X-rays provided by antemortem family. By overlapping radiographic images, there was similarity between the characteristics presented by the skull and found the alleged victim, as the frontal sinus, shape and height of the orbits, and miniplate fixation of bone with the same shape and size, not leaving no doubt that the radiographs belong to the same individual.

Complications arise in the analysis of gunshot wounds to the maxillofacial region, when neither the projectile nor the gun is found at the crime scene. We simulated 5- and 15-cm firing distances at a human mandible to investigate the external morphology of entrance wounds based on fire range. The ammunition models, .40-caliber S&W, .380-caliber, and 9 × 19-mm Luger, were constructed with free-form NURBS surfaces. In a dynamic simulation, projectiles were fired against mandibular body 3D model at 5 and 15 cm. All entrance wounds presented oval aspect. Maximum diameter and von Mises stress values were 16.5 mm and 50.8 MPa, both for .40-caliber S&W fired at 5 cm. The maximum energy loss was 138.4 J for .40 S&W fired at 15 cm. In conclusion, the mandible was most affected by .40-caliber S&W and morphological differences were observable in holes caused by different incoming projectile calibers fired at different distances.