El Bazar de la Caridad: el nacimiento de la odontología forense / The Charity Bazaar: the birth of forensic odontology

A finales del siglo XIX, París sufrió un evento catastrófico en el cual perecieron numerosas víctimas en un incendio en el interior del Bazar de la Caridad. La mayoría de las víctimas sufrieron una carbonización tal que no era posible reconocerlas por su apariencia física. Ante el reto de la identificación, las autoridades solicitaron a los odontólogos que habían atendido en vida a las personas desaparecidas que inspeccionaran las características dentales de los cadáveres para facilitar su identificación, dicho evento fue clave para el nacimiento de la odontología forense. A partir de entonces, los dientes son considerados como elementos extremadamente fidedignos para la identificación de sujetos desconocidos. El objetivo de este artículo es realizar una breve revisión del evento que dio origen a la odontología forense: el incendio del Bazar de la Caridad (AU)

At the end of the 19th century, Paris suffered a catastrophic event in which numerous victims perished in a fire inside the Charity Bazaar. Most of the victims suffered such carbonization that it was not possible to recognize them by their physical appearance. Faced with the challenge of the identification, the authorities asked the dentists who had treated the disappeared persons while they were alive to inspect the dental characteristics of the corpses to facilitate their identification. This event was key to the birth of forensic odontology. From then on, teeth are considered extremely reliable elements for the identification of unkown subjects. The aim of this article is to carry out a brief review of the event that gave rise to forensic odontology: the Charity Bazaar fire (AU)

Discussing a Forensic Dental Examination of 1861--A Scientific and Historic Overview.

This work is a discussion on a report of dental examination and exclusion made by a British dentist Francis Robertus Lloyd on 30th April 1861. The report entitled: 'Dentistry as a means of Identification' was published in the 'British Journal of Dental Science' under the section 'Miscellanea' in 1861; Mr. Lloyd was contacted by the Indian authorities in order to identify a skull. He may well be the first British dentist to officially report a dental examination in an academic journal. The aims of this discussion are to briefly analyze the difficulties of access to scientific techniques in that century and to provide Mr. Lloyd recognition of his report in the history of Forensic Dentistry.

A short account of forensic dentistry in France.

The earliest records and more recent cases where forensic dentistry has been used to identify bodies in France are described. The establishment of the French Society of Forensic Odontology is detailed.

Convicted by a bite mark, Ted Bundy (1946-1989).

The identification of a murderer and the eventual conviction was largely due to forensic dentistry and in particular the use of bite marks on the victim compared with casts of the teeth of the accused. The Bundy case has become notorious in American legal circles.

Francis Robert Lloyd and the celebrated traveller: a British Raj murder mystery.

In 1854 the Schlagintweit brothers, scientist-explorers from Vienna were invited by the East India company to make a geological survey of the northern parts of the sub-continent. Adolphe Schlagintweit had wanted to cross into Central Asia from India. He had proceeded as far as Kashgar when he was allegedly murdered by a chief of one of the wandering tribes. His decapitated head became a source of intrigue. The paper describes the incident and the subsequent role of Dr F R Lloyd, a dentist from India, in the police investigation that followed. This is the first documented case from India of a legal case making use of forensic odontology.

Odontología legal: su importancia y evolución / Forensic dentistry: its importance and evolution

El uso de la odontología forense como método de identificación no es un método reciente, sino que se utiliza desde tiempos remotos. Tal vez en sus principios no era una ciencia establecida, sino más bien un elemento más de identificación. En la actualidad, el campo de la odontología forense ha avanzado mucho y es por ello que, junton con la dactiloscopía, puede acreditar identidad por sí misma. La importancia de la odontología forense radica en que no existen dos dentaduras iguales. Aún en el caso de los gemelos univitelinos, existen variaciones. La resistencia de las piezas dentarias a los agentes externos, tales como altas temperaturas, ácidos o incluso al paso del tiemop, permite que se puedan obtener datos de los cadáveres de grandes catástrofes, incluso de accidentes aéreos. Para ello, es de vital importancia la existencia de datos premortem. Ellos permiten realizar un cotejo entre ambas fichas odontológicas, buscando en las mismas coincidencias y/o discrepancias que puedan confirmar la identidad de una persona o cadáver.

Odontología legal: su importancia y evolución / Forensic dentistry: its importance and evolution

El uso de la odontología forense como método de identificación no es un método reciente, sino que se utiliza desde tiempos remotos. Tal vez en sus principios no era una ciencia establecida, sino más bien un elemento más de identificación. En la actualidad, el campo de la odontología forense ha avanzado mucho y es por ello que, junton con la dactiloscopía, puede acreditar identidad por sí misma. La importancia de la odontología forense radica en que no existen dos dentaduras iguales. Aún en el caso de los gemelos univitelinos, existen variaciones. La resistencia de las piezas dentarias a los agentes externos, tales como altas temperaturas, ácidos o incluso al paso del tiemop, permite que se puedan obtener datos de los cadáveres de grandes catástrofes, incluso de accidentes aéreos. Para ello, es de vital importancia la existencia de datos premortem. Ellos permiten realizar un cotejo entre ambas fichas odontológicas, buscando en las mismas coincidencias y/o discrepancias que puedan confirmar la identidad de una persona o cadáver.(AU)

La ficha de identificación estomatológica para internos: un asunto aún pendiente en México / A ficha de identificação dental para internos: um caso ainda pendente no México / The dental record card for inmates: a matter still pending in Mexico

Los dientes proveen información valiosa que ayuda a identificar a una persona con los métodos propios de la odontología legal y forense. A nivel penitenciario, el expediente del interno, al ser un documento de identidad del infractor, deberá integrar toda la información posible que permita a las autoridades judiciales cerciorarse de que se trata de la misma persona registrada, ya sea en calidad de procesado o sentenciado, con todas sus características físicas posibles en las denominadas fichas antropométricas, con el propósito de evitar suplantaciones o errores en la imposición de las penas a delincuentes. Sin embargo, en México, al efectuar una revisión de las leyes actuales, iniciativas o reformas en la materia (tanto estatales como federales), sobre el registro de internos y la conformación de sus expedientes, no hay una homologación sobre los datos que debe contener la ficha antropométrica; mucho menos, en ningún apartado o sección, se considera la ficha estomatológica como medio de identificación. En el presente artículo se exponen las razones por las cuales debe incluirse en los centros penitenciarios de México la ficha de identifi cación estomatológica, puesto que también tal registro odontológico es una opción de control para procesados y sentenciados, y no solo un potencial documento para cotejar en el caso de infractores reincidentes o fallecidos

Teeth provide very valuable information serving to identify individuals with the use of methods pertaining to legal and forensic odontology. At the prison system level, an inmate’s dossier, because it is the offender’s identity document, must gather and integrate any and all available information enabling legal authorities to make certain that they are dealing with the same individual they have registered either as prosecuted or sentenced, with all of the physical features likely to be found on the so-called anthropometric index cards for the purpose of preventing identity thefts or impersonation or errors in the imposition of punishments to offenders. However, in Mexico, at the time of reviewing laws, initiatives or (both state and federal) amendments in this area with respect to the registration of inmates and the constitution of their dossiers, no homologation exists of those data that the anthropometric card should contain, and in no paragraph or section whatsoever the dental card is taken into account as an identifi cation means. In this article, the reasons why this card should be included in Mexican penitentiary facilities are exposed, since this kind of record is, in addition, a control option for both prosecuted and sentenced inmates and not only a potential matching record to be used in the case of recidivist or deceased infringers

Os dentes fornecem informações valiosas que ajudam a identifi car uma pessoa com métodos próprios da odontologia legal e forense. No nível de prisão, o registro do preso, sendo um documento de identidade do infrator, deve integrar todas as informações possíveis que permitam às autoridades judiciais certifi car que é a mesma pessoa registrada, seja na qualidade de processamento ou do condenado, com todas as suas características físicas possíveis nas chamadas guias antropométricas, a fi m de evitar a falsifi cação ou erros na condenação dos criminosos. No entanto, no México, para empreender uma revisão das leis, iniciativas e reformas neste campo (estatais e federais), sobre o registro dos presos e a conformação dos seus registros, não existe nenhuma homologação sobre os dados que a guia antropométrica deve conter; muito menos, em nenhum ponto ou seção, a guia de dental é considerada como meio de identifi cação. Este artigo discute as razões por que a guia de identifi cação dental deve ser incluída em prisões no México, já que tal registro dental é uma opção de controle para jul gados e condenados, e não apenas um documento potencial para comparar no caso de infratores reincidentes ou falecidos

Forensic odontology, part 4. Human bite marks.

The aim of this paper is to give a brief overview of bite mark analysis: its usefulness and limitations. The study and analysis of such injuries is challenging and complex. The correct protocols for collection, management, preservation, analysis and interpretation of this evidence should be employed if useful information is to be obtained for the courts. It is now possible, with advances in digital technology, to produce more accurate and reproducible comparison techniques which go some way to preventing and reducing problems such as photographic distortions. Research needs to be continued to increase our knowledge of the behaviour of skin when bitten. However, when presented with a high quality bite mark showing good dental detail, and a limited, accessible number of potential biters, it can be extremely useful in establishing a link between the bitten person and the biter or excluding the innocent.

A brief history of forensic odontology since 1775.

The increasing role of DNA sampling of the saliva on and around the tooth marks on skin or other objects has perhaps led some to rely on this as too much of a gold standard to the detriment of more established and well-tried methods of odontological forensic detection. Forensic odontology should not become, as Geoffrey Pyke (1893-1948) the maverick inventor during the Second World War, once described such lost knowledge: "A lesson in collective forgetfulness". This was said about the use of self sterilizing sphagnum moss as a field dressing due to a content of phenolic compounds. One amongst many of perhaps 350 species of the genus Sphagnum; Sphagnum angustifolium, was used as a highly absorbent wound dressing in both World Wars, the Spanish Civil War and before.

Role of dentist in person identification.

To reinforce awareness among dentists about their role in person identification and the importance of maintaining dental records of all their patients. The article reviews basic procedures of dental identification and some cases where dental identification played a key role in eventual identification of the person. Forensic odontology is an integral part of forensic sciences. Forensic dental identifications, especially in times of mass disasters, depend mainly on the availability of ante mortem dental records. It is the social responsibility of each and every dentist to maintain dental records of their patients for the noble cause of identification in the event of mass disaster.

[The dentist as an expert in disasters: dental identification in the disaster with the Zeebruge ferry. 1990]. / Le dentiste, en tant qu'expert lors de catastrophes: identification dentaire lors de la catastrophe du ferry à Zeebruges.

The Herald of Free Enterprise Disaster on the 6th of March 1987 just outside Zeebrugge harbour was without any doubt a disaster of major proportions. The ferry disaster highlighted different approaches in major incident procedures in both countries involved but nevertheless the identification team which was composed of both British and Belgian specialists did perform good work. The identification of the victims had to be done in three phases each of them with its own specific work and problems. As the process of identification of bodies is an exacting science, and forensic odontology is known to be among the most reliable scientific methods in mass disasters, it is easily understood that forensic odontology took an active part in all three phases of the identification process.