1. Odontology and Serology
Forensic Medicine
Odontology and Serology

2. Odontology Characteristics of teeth after death:
No other body part lasts longer
In fires, teeth usually only means to ID remains
No two people have identical teeth
*What other mean of identification is unique to an individual?*

3. continued Requirements for identification: Need dental records
Dentists chart 5 surfaces of each tooth in a grid (odontogram)
Can also provide bite mark evidence

4. …continued Teeth can be useful in determining a subject’s age:
Deciduous teeth start to erupt at about 6 months and continue until around 2 years of age
20 teeth total
Last until age 12
Permanent teeth start pushing out deciduous teeth at age 6
The last permanent teeth to emerge are the third molars/wisdom teeth
32 teeth total
See Odontology handout

5. Serology Blood type Four types Rh factor Female cells have Barr bodies
A, B, O (O- universal donor), and AB (AB+ universal recipient)
Rh factor
+ or -
Female cells have Barr bodies
Looks like a “drumstick” projecting from one of the nuclear lobes
Solid, round, well defined projection of nuclear chromatin connected to the nucleus by a strand of chromatin
Present in 80 to 90% of somatic cells of normal females
Not found in normal males
Found in males with Klinefelter’s syndrome and not found in females with Turner’s syndrome

6. Blood Types and Compatability*

7. Criminology
Kastle-Meyer test to determine if it is indeed blood: Luminol
Precipitin test – determines animal or human blood
Can determine type and gender from blood (DNA)
Provides reliable and informative evidence
Blood splatter