Teeth contain information that can produce a postmortem profile that can include up to age at death and race and origin. Enamel being the hardest structure in the human body act as a shield to protect valuable information. Attempts to remove the root can contain information with in the tooth the dental tubules, pulp and vasculature are useful for DNA when other sources like bone and or deep muscle are not available. There are four main method of dental identification: Comparative, profile, aging and DNA. Comparative dental identification that is postmortem can be compared to antemortem dental records. This can include radiographs, written notes and photographs to confirm a person's identity. Individuals that have complex dental work are easier to identify than someone who has had little or no work.…show more content… The forensic dentist produces an postmortem record by charting and written descriptions of dental structures and radiographs. Once the postmortem record is complete the comparison can be done by comparing antemortem and postmortem records. An methodical and systematic comparison is required while examining each tooth and its supporting structures. Similarities and discrepancies are noted during the comparison. Discrepancies can be put into two categories those that can be explained and those that cannot. Explained discrepancy can include enlarged amalgam that can start as an mesio-occlusal (MO) that is now mesio-occlusal-distal (MOD). For something that can not explained is things like when a tooth is not present antemortem but is present postmortem and if an MOD restoration is now an MO restoration. There can be charting errors and incorrect radiographic film that can cause discrepancies that can not be
