Resumen

ESPANA, L. et al. Study of characteristics of palatal rugae individualizing. Case: Fire department of Los Andes University Mérida - Venezuela. Cuad. med. forense [online]. 2010, vol.16, n.4, pp.199-204. ISSN 1988-611X.

Rugoscopy is a safe and low cost method that can be used as an alternative technique in the identification of persons and the recognition of bodies which cannot be identified due to various reasons. The objective of this research was to apply a rugoscopy card in a sample of twenty (20) firefighters of the Fire Department of Los Andes University in the State of Merida, and to create a database of high risk cases taken from the individualizing characteristics of palatal rugaes. We used a rugoscopy card designed and validated in this investigation, as well as, study models of maxillary and intraoral photographs. Through the analysis of 266 palatal rugae, shapes and different numbers in each individual were determined, allowing their identification anywhere in the world. We conclude that rugoscopy is a simple method and easily applicable in the dental office, which allows the identification of any person from the individualizing characteristics of the palatal rugae.

Palabras clave : Forensic dentistry; Palatal rugaes; Rugoscopy; Human identification.

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