Notable Forensic Dentistry Cases

Our mouths are carrying mountains of information. Systemic health, diet, habits, geography, and even social behavior and changes over time in fossilized teeth can all be determined by studying teeth. Dentistry has also been used in the identification of human remains.

While forensic dentistry (or forensic odontology) may appear to be a 20th or 21st-century practice, the first case of identifying remains using dentition is thought to come from late 12th-century India, although it can perhaps be traced back to the Roman Empire. Other than identifying decedents, dental evidence has also been used to convict perpetrators of alleged crimes using bitemark analysis. While valid criticism of bitemark analysis has called the science into question, it’s fascinating to consider no matter where you personally stand on the subject. Here are 7 famous cases involving forensic odontology.