Use of XRD and SEM/EDX to predict age and sex from fire-affected dental remains

Abstract

In fire scenarios, the application and accuracy of traditional odontological methods are often limited. Crystalline studies and elemental profiling have been evaluated for their applicability in determining biological profiles (age and sex) from human dentition, particularly fire- and heat-affected dental remains. Thirty-seven teeth were paired according to tooth type and donor age/sex for the analysis of crown and root surfaces pre- and post-incineration using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDX). In unburned crowns, carbon (C) content showed a positive correlation with age, whereas phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) contents showed a negative correlation with age. In unburned roots, C, P and Ca contents also showed significant changes that were opposite of those observed in the crowns. In relation to sex, females exhibited a higher C ratio than males, whereas males showed significantly higher levels of oxygen (O), P and Ca in unburned roots. Incineration resulted in an increase in the crystallite size that correlated with increasing temperature. No differences in hydroxyapatite (HA) crystallite size were found between age groups; however, unburned teeth from females exhibited a larger crystallite size than did those from males. The challenges of using XRD with a 3D sample were overcome to allow analysis of whole teeth in a nondestructive manner. Further studies may be useful in helping predict the temperature of a fire.

Efficacy of Rice Husk Nanosilica as A Caries Treatment (Dentin Hydroxyapatite and Antimicrobial Analysis)

“…27,28 In caries, peritubular dentin damage occurs due to a reversible demineralization process. 29,30 Rice husk nanosilica has a porous, amorphous silica structure with nanometer size and contains a silanol group (Si-OH) on its surface. 31,32 Nano partikel silica berpotensi untuk regenerative jaringan pulpa, memiliki sifat biokompatibel, odontogenesis dan angiogenik.…”

“… 27 28 In caries, peritubular dentin damage occurs due to a reversible demineralization process. 29 30 …”

The impact of remineralization agents on dental bleaching efficacy and mineral loss in bleached enamel

“…In the present study, to analyze the changes in the crystal structure of enamel surfaces, pre‐ and post‐bleaching diffraction patterns were produced from the same enamel surfaces, and peak widths and intensities were examined. An increase in peak intensity indicates an increase in crystallinity, while a narrower form of peaks indicates an increase in crystal size [55]. While the peak intensities and positions before and after the treatment were similar in the groups in which the remineralization agents were applied together with the bleaching agents, it was found that both crystallinity and crystal size increased significantly in the groups in which the bleaching agent was first applied alone, and fluoride or CPP‐ACP(F) was applied after bleaching.…”

Partners in Postmortem Interval Estimation: X-ray Diffraction and Fourier Transform Spectroscopy

“…Despite extensive studies assessing compositional degradation in bone during PMI, there is a gap of knowledge regarding teeth, with very few studies on tooth composition using FTIR or XRD. In general, these few works focus on chemical differences in the composition of the different parts of the tooth in humans and animals [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. However, teeth are a very valuable sample for PMI studies in forensic and anthropological practice, as they are highly resistant to postmortem degradation, putrefaction, aging and external environmental factors [ 29 , 30 ].…”