Abstract

FONSECA, G.M.; VIGANO, P.  and  OLMOS, A.. Dental Identification, "The Whole Nine Yards" and "Mythbusters". Cuad. med. forense [online]. 2010, vol.16, n.4, pp.205-215. ISSN 1988-611X.

Identify a person is determine the traits to distinguish it from the other ones and makes itself. The dental identification is the safe technique when the conventional procedures are unavailable (burned, decomposed or fragmented bodies) and the bases are the coincidences between ante-mortem and post-mortem data. Papers have affirmed there is a direct relationship between quality of identification and quality of ante-mortem data. Even though the comparison should be an objective and scientific process, contributions of memories or filling recognized by the dentist have been accepted. Many protocols have stressed the utilization of odontograms as easy save, access and analyses graphics structures, even pondered by identification systems as CAPMI^® or WinID^®. A positive identification must collect sufficient similarities and no unexplainable discrepancies to establish that they are from the same individual even in absence of other evidence. This paper introduces an identification comparison process case between ante-mortem data (supposed unidentified victim) and post-mortem data of analyzed human remains. This comparison has the positive identification requirements (A minimum of twelve similarities, dental chart performed less-than-three-years-old, no unexplainable discrepancies, and presence of strong similarities). Rigurous procedures to avoid mistakes and frauds were performed. "To be or not to be: that is the question".

Keywords : Fraud; Dental identification; Odontogram.

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