Use of DNA technology in forensic dentistry

Abstract

The established importance of Forensic Dentistry for human identification, mainly when there is little remaining material to perform such identification (e.g., in fires, explosions, decomposing bodies or skeletonized bodies), has led dentists working with forensic investigation to become more familiar with the new molecular biology techniques. The currently available DNA tests have high reliability and are accepted as legal proofs in courts. This article presents a literature review referring to the main studies on Forensic Dentistry that involve the use of DNA for human identification, and makes an overview of the evolution of this technology in the last years, highlighting the importance of molecular biology in forensic sciences.

Forensic dentistry now and in the future

“…7 The use of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), an enzymatic amplification of a specific DNA sequence, is routinely used to detect 'salivary' DNA deposited on bite marks. 24 DNA analysis has also had a significant effect on the admission of bite mark analysis in court. A number of rulings, which relied on bite mark evidence for conviction, have been overturned in the USA.…”

Salivary Diagnostics, Current Reality and Future Prospects

“…The salivary DNA emerges as a complement or even to replace the first, since it is a test of excellence [64]. However, the use of saliva in the identification was only feasible after the development of molecular biology techniques applied to forensic dentistry.…”

Forensic odontostomatology

“…Short tandem repeats (STR) analyses that identify hypervariable regions of DNA that present consecutive repetitions of fragments that have two to seven base pairs (bp) provide the basis for this analytical technique [16]. A central database of DNA profiles from all user laboratories is the core of the national DNA database in the United States, and is accessible as the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) [17].…”