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Teeth: An Informative Tool!!!
Authors: Dr. Ettishree P.G Student Dr. Vineeta Gupta Professor & Head Dr. Nutan Tyagi Senior Lecturer Dr. Akansha Misra Senior Lecturer Dept. of oral Pathology & Microbiology Institute of Dental Studies & Technologies, Kadrabad, Modinagar, (U.P.)-201201, India
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In human body, tooth is the hardest known structure which is impervious to adverse
conditions like incineration, immersion, trauma, mutilation, decomposition etc and hence, can
be used in forensic investigations.Blood, hair, teeth, and various body fluids can be used as
samples for DNA analysis.As compared to other samples which may get destroyed or degraded
over time, teeth are more resistant and can be used as a valuable source of DNA. The DNA print
is specific to an individual.By analyzing the DNA recovered from the teeth,the identification
of human remains may be possible.DNA profiling can help in providing the exact
identification of the human remains in mass disasters, in the identification of culprits in crime
scene investigations and also in solving paternity issues. It can also provide information
regarding the physical characteristics, ethnicity and gender determination of the individual to
be identified. Dental tissue can be considered for DNA analysis as they are a rich source of
quality DNA and hence can be utilized in forensic investigations. Recent advances in DNA
profiling have high reliability and are accepted as legal proof in courts.