1. FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY

2. ODONTOLOGY:  Study of anatomy and growth of teeth and diseases

3. WHY USE TEETH?  Teeth are more resistant to burning and decomposition

4. AGE ESTIMATION  Human teeth emerge before age 25 in a predictable pattern. 1. Babies 6-9 mos./Lost by 6-7 yrs. 2. Age 7 develop permanent teeth.  Older than 25, hard to estimate age.

5. OTHER USES:  Ancestry: 1. Shapes of some teeth are indicative of certain geographic regions.  Sex: 2. Males typically have larger teeth. **not as strong as skull but still useful**

6. IDENTIFICATION:  Dental Records: 1. Medical Examiner sends teeth to odontologist. 2. He/she compares remains to dental records. 3. Fillings, bridgework, and implants are useful.

7. BITE MARKS:  Human: 1. Bite mark depends on the material. 2. Alive when bitten vs. postmortem 3. Saliva 4. Casting the mark

8. BITE MARKS:  Nonhuman: 1. Have a different mark than humans. - Example: dogs have 42 teeth vs. 32 in humans 2. Shape is also different. 3. Saliva