Forensic relevance of dental documentation in the identification of a charred body: case report

Abstract

The methods of human identification used by Forensic Dentistry become extremely valuable, since teeth and various dental materials are resistant to destruction by fire, preserving remarkable individual characteristics. This study aimed to present, through a forensic case report, the importance of dental documentation in the identification of a charred body. A charred body resulting from a car accident was sent to the Afrânio Peixoto Forensic Medical Institute of the Technical-Scientific Police Department of the State of Rio de Janeiro. Three criminal experts participated in the forensic examination, one of whom was a forensic dentist. For the purpose of forensic dental analysis for identification, ante-mortem dental records of the possible victim were obtained. The dental records contained documents dated 2010 and 2011 and were used for comparison with post-mortem information dated 2014. The comparative analysis between oral findings observed in the autopsy, those described in the dental record's odontogram, and the radiographic examination performed on the corpse regarding the characteristics of the clinical-dental procedures to which the victim was subjected, allowed for the identification of several coincident points that enabled the positive identification of the initial suspect. Given all existing techniques for human identification, particularly identification of charred bodies, forensic dentistry presents itself as an extremely valuable and easily applicable tool, as it offers clarity in the use of the technique, low cost, and reliability in the results obtained.