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Digital Dental Radiographic Identification in the Pediatric, Mixed and Permanent Dentitions

NCJ Number
182665
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 44 Issue: 5 Dated: September 1999 Pages: 910-916
Author(s)
Robert E. Wood Ph.D.; Nigel J. Kirk BDS; David J. Sweet Ph.D.
Editor(s)
R. E. Gaensslen Ph.D.
Date Published
1999
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the utility of digital dental radiographic super-imposition in the various stages of development of the human dentition.
Abstract
Digital computer-assisted dental identification is a means of identification that allows spatial relationships of the root and support structures of the teeth to be compared to each other. The technique has not been tested in patients with developing dentitions. Dental radiographs from patients in the pediatric, mixed, and permanent dentition stages of development were digitized using a flat field radiograph scanner. Anatomic features served as points of comparison using image editing software in which anatomic sections were digitally cut from the antemortem image and compared to the same anatomic locations on the postmortem image to assess for points of concordance. The technique was applied to 25 cases within the primary dentition, 25 cases within the mixed dentition, and 25 cases within the permanent dentition. Results showed that the approach was a viable technique within both pediatric and permanent dentitions, although it was of little value within the mixed dentition. 19 references, 4 tables, and 3 figures