Analyzing Facial Trauma by Forensic Odontologist - Assignment Example

Running Head: ANALYZING FACIAL TRAUMA BY FORENSIC ODONTOLOGIST Analyzing Facial Trauma by Forensic Odontologist Name Institution Date Analyzing Facial Trauma by Forensic Odontologist Introduction Any injury on the maxilla or face is considered as facial trauma. There are several causes of facial trauma which include violence, penetrating injuries and automobile accidents. One can identify facial trauma through symptoms such as double vision and other visual problems, swelling eyes and the surrounding parts, missing teeth, bleeding or swelling in the nose resulting to difficulty in breathing, uneven or deformed face bones or face or though sensational feelings on the face (Stewart & Chen, 1997). It is some times considered as maxillofacial injury. Facial trauma can also be as a result of injuries that occur during accidents (Gallup, 1987). 3 million people are admitted with facial trauma and treated in the emergency wards in US every year. Increased cases of violence and the issue of ultra sport puts more people in the danger of experiencing facial trauma. Young children are at a higher risk of this (Kim & Buchman, 2000). The faces of young children are not fully developed and in case the child experiences facial trauma, his or her growth may be affected. The Role of Odontologist in Criminal Offences There are different types of facial trauma which include; bone injuries, injuries on the soft tissues, injuries on the dental structure and the teeth. Facial trauma can result to irreversible damage on a human’s body reducing the normal performance in the worst cases result to death or disability (Gayford, 1975). As a result, forensic Odontology as a branch has been formed in the medical department to investigate on any criminal offences with the aim of establishing justice (Scherer et al, 1989). These personnel have the required skills in carrying out criminal investigations. Any evidence to a crime is recovered, collected, documented for analysis in the laboratory. Forensic Odontologists are thus dentists trained to carry out criminal investigation through the acquisition of relevant skills. These personnel may also be involved in assessing injuries or marks to facial or teeth structures for plaintiffs in criminal and civil cases (American Board of Forensic Odontology, 2009). In addition they may assist during archeological expeditions. The purpose of Odontology is to establish equality by investigating on crime (Fisher et al, 1990). It does not discriminate any person hence ensuring equality for the “normal”, diseased, disabled, old and young (Bowers, 2004). Forensic Odontology encompasses examination of any injury to oral tissue, jaws and teeth and its evaluation, marks examination which aid the identification or elimination of a perpetrator or suspect and the examination of any complete or fragmented dental remains with the aim of identifying the later (Bowers, 2001). Natural teeth of any animal including the human being are the most durable parts in a human body and historians have relied in this to identify the theories of the origin of man (Alshihri, 2009). After every other body par has been destroyed, the teeth will remain for a long time making them very useful even during the identification of persons who perish in attacks such as terrorist attacks. Domestic violence is a major cause of facial trauma with women reporting more cases of assaults as compared to men. However, this differs in cultural context and the region. Facial Trauma Facial trauma has been considered a major health problem in women and thus the need for urgent attention. Odontologists offer a method that is more accurate in assessing the assaults. The increase of gender based violence has resulted from negligence and the assaults being released free of change. According to previous studies, women retention of injuries from a spouse is 6 times more that of men retaining an injury (Griffith, 2004). For instance, in every 1000 women found in U.S, one is affected. At least 2000 deaths in U.S die as a result of domestic violence. The main risk factors to facial trauma include marital status, drug abuse, age and poverty. The total number of males experiencing facial trauma is less than 70% (Berrios and Grady, 1991). Bite mark analysis is done to identify unknown person using their remains or a criminal. The post mortem results obtained are then compared with the dental data of the person obtained in the ante mortem. Procedures Carried by Odontologist There are several procedures that an Odontologist should carryout before presenting the report to the investigating team (British Association of Forensic Odontology, 2002). These procedures include photography which can either be through traditional film or digital. The shift from the traditional methods is to increase efficiency in terms of cost, reduce the error margin and reduce transportation cost ant time used since the digital machines are portable (Alshihri, 2009). The other procedures include radiography, jaw resection and dental impression (Alshihri, 2009). The procedures should be carried out scientifically so as to obtain objective data. The role of the Odontologists is to examine, carefully handle and present evidence based on dental analysis in court for justice to be accomplished. This field requires that the personnel be skilled and people of integrity to ensure that the rights of every citizen are respected and that those that go against the law are punished accordingly (Introduction to the Steps of Bite Mark Analysis, 2001). The roles of a forensic Odontologist are clearly defined in the outline provided by the British Association of Forensic Odontology (BAFO). However, the Odontologist does not work alone but coordinates with the forensic anthropologist and the forensic pathologist. The Odontologist creates or prints the picture of any person involved in committing a given crime hence resulting to the identification of the attacker or the victim (Page, 2006). This sheds light on who was involved in a crime giving the criminal investigators a base for their investigations. The evidence provided by the Odontologists directs the judges to come up with an objective decision reducing the chances for victimization of innocent individuals. Summary of Facial Trauma Analysis by Odontologist The role of the Odontologist in the analysis of facial trauma can be summed up as bite marks analysis. A persons tooth can survive in disastrous circumstances making them useful in criminal investigation and in forensic medicine (Bower, 2004). This results from the uniqueness of a person’s shape of teeth, its fragmentation, appearance, restorations, jawbone and the skull. These features are unique to all individuals including twins (Rai & Anaud, 2007). In the identification of an unknown or missing person where the face is completely disfigured, the DNA found in the saliva and in the interior of a person teeth can be used in forensic Odontology to identify the person. Information gathered from the analysis done using dental data is sometimes the only evidence to identify the criminal or the victim if he or she has been disfigured, does not have any identification document or when the skeleton or human decay is the only existing evidence (Bowers, & Johansen, 2001). The main challenge in this sector I where there was no nay dental records before an individual perished or DNA for comparison purpose. In some cases where victims are attacked such as in t he case of rape, acid attack among others, the victim does not get a chance to see the assault. However, the attackers may leave bite marks on the skin of the victim, soft objects or on food found on the scene of a crime. In facial trauma where the victim is completely disfigured or burned as in the case of Hawai and Indian Ocean Tsunami experienced in the year 2004, Odontology is very useful in the identification process (Pretty, 2009). Damaged and decomposed bodies were identified using this method. The accuracy and effectiveness of this method lies in the fact that identification of remains is not discriminative of age or sex of an individual. Even a months old infant can be identified through the study of tooth root development of that particular infant. In addition, to identifying a missing or unknown person, Forensic Odontology establishes the age of the individual. This age can then be used to identify the individual by matching the recorded data of the missing person with the information of persons who have been missing in the past months hence resulting to the identification of the person (Scarborough, 2005). In cases where an X-ray is impossible, information gathered from the analysis of the skull or the jaw of a person is very useful. The forensic Odontologist cannot be ignored at one time in the investigations carried out by the police concerning the remains of a deceased person (Council on Scientific Affairs, American Medical Association, 1992). Inclusion in the initial stages increases the ability to maximize on time hence not time is wasted in the process. Since delaying justice is equivalent to denying it, there is need to ensure that accurate result are achieved within the shortest time possible. Forensic Odontologist ensures this through their involvement from the initial investigation stages and through the use of accurate and precise equipment including following the scientific procedures (Goins et al, 1992). A medical examiner or the corner directs to where the dental examination is to be carried out which can be either in a private facility, funeral home or in the morgue. Immediately the results are got, they are matched to those of the existing dental ante mortem report and identity established (Haug et al, 1990). Though the dental information is only necessary in the case where individuals are severely traumatized, decomposed or burnt, the guidelines provided by ABFO dictate that this information should be provided by police as part of their report in unidentified person’s death (ABFO, 2009). The forensic Odontologist is to provide the police officers with findings of the forensic investigations carried, his or her recommendations and a conclusion of the whole matter. All the documents used in the forensic research including the radiographs, models, photographs and charts should also be handed as evidence support documents (Alshihri, 2009). Scientific Procedures for Forensic Odontologist Forensic Odontology is a very crucial process that should be carried out using scientific procedures to prevent biasness in the final report and to ensure that the judgment given is just to all (Greene et al, 1997). As a result, ABFO has provided 8 procedures that should be followed accurately as discussed below. Examination process This is the initial stage of conducting a forensic analysis. The skeletonised, decomposed and visually identifiable remains are examined and charts, photographs, resections, radiographs and photographs developed (Zawitz, 1993). The different tools are applied according to severity of a given case in the dental identification process. Photography This is a document that is very necessary in the dental report as it represents the objective evidence in post mortem. The tools used in this process include a right angled ruler and a 35mm camera which is a single reflex as directed by ABFO. The ruler is used in the post mortem to take a dental photography (Strom, 1992). The camera must have lenses or a bellow system that can take a close up photograph. For both upper and the lower teeth, the close up photograph for the anterior teeth should be taken at an angle view with the lateral minimum open in position and also occlusal views. Jaw resection This process is not always necessary and medical examiner or the coroner should approve of it if it is to be carried out. The purpose of this process is to extensively examine the unknown individual’s or deceased’s dental structures of his or her remains. Jaw resection is mainly necessary when the victim of a homicide is to be cemented or when the unknown individual’s or deceased’s body parts are to be transferred to a different facility from the initial facility where the investigations were being carried out. Post mortem dental record The record delivered after the investigation is comprehensive to aide the matching process of the post mortem results and the recorded pre-mortem data. The information includes the jaw fragment description, general body description and the basic data. To ease the matching process, it contains the identification, location, jurisdiction, time, and the case number. Some approximation on physical condition, gender, race and age are made in regard to the information obtained. All this information is used to describe the remains of the remains of the individual. Dental examination The numbering system used to identify if there is any missing jaw fragment or teeth structure is the universal tooth numbering system. This is as recommended by ABFO. The tools use in this process includes charts which includes occlusial relationship, periodontal condition, any material used in the teeth restoration and the dental structure configuration. In anatomical illustration of lesions and teeth restorations, an intra oral condition photograph is included. Narrative description and nomenclature The forensic Odontology is expected to describe the findings through a comprehensive narrative explaining how unique the denture condition is. This is a narrative explanation of the findings indicated in the chart. The information should include the prosthetics, teeth surface and identification type and the actual name of the tooth. The universal numbering system should be applied. Dental impression These are very important when analyzing the bite marks. Dental radiography At times, facial trauma can be extensive resulting to total destruction of the jaw. The case is worse when there is any ante mortem record that exists and the reputed identification is absent. In such a case, a radiography of extra oral areas, edentulous areas, dental fragments ant the intra orals is taken for dental examination in the post mortem. The intra oral film taken is this case is a double pack of which one is retained by the medical examiner or the corner and the other by the forensic Odontologist. Bite Mark Analysis Bite mark analysis is very important in identifying the assailant of a victim of facial trauma or excluding a suspect from the list of suspected criminals. It is an objective way of convicting a suspect of a committed crime. The bite mark angles, measurements and such like features are taken before a comparison is made. Where there exist it’s a discrepancy between the bite marks and the suspects teeth, the suspect is declared innocent. Several characteristics are analyzed when using the bite marks (Fothergill, 1990). These include teeth wear pattern, distinction in the restorative destiny, teeth edge curves used for biting, any missing teeth, spacing teeth, teeth thickness, width of the teeth, proof of any tooth that is no in alignment with the rest, mouth curve shape and the distance from one teeth cusp to the other. If the identified character8istics of the bite mark coincide with those of the assault, then he has no choice but to plead guilty. The saliva can aloes be used to identify the person who committed a crime (Santos, 2007). This is collected from the food found in the scene of crime or from the bite on the skin of the victim. The facts presented by the forensic Odontologist plays a great role in the decision that a court of justice makes (Zachariades, 1990). Any short coming or error in the process would thus mean a victimization of innocent individual while the assaults walk free. On the other hand, these procedures must be carried out to try and identify the actual person who was involved in causing the facial assaults (US Department of Justice, 1995). Failure by the government to protect her citizens would mean that the cases of assaults and injuries resulting from careless driving would continuously increase. The whole process relies on the skills acquired by the professionals in this field and the availability of the necessary equipment to conduct the search. In addition, objectivity in data collection procedure and in sampling is paramount to attaining accurate results (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 1987). Despite the current improvement on the equipment used in the process, there is still a possibility of the forensic Odontologist making mistakes resulting from poor application of procedures. However, continuous research in the field and training of the professionals has increased the accuracy of the results relatively (Gin et al, 1991). The use of digital photocopy has increased effectiveness and accuracy in the procedure due to its high capacity of resolution (Scarborough, 2005). In addition, it has relatively reduced the time used to carry out the procedure hence more cases can be easily analyzed in forensic Odontology. The cost of using this technology is also low making it a common preference for individuals and groups (Colorado Domestic Violence Coalition, 1991). However, this equipment can be easily manipulated and can thus result to provision of subjective data hence reducing accuracy (Hussain, 1994). Though the cost of taking digital images is relatively low, the cost of storing those images by agencies is quite high and this is a disadvantage to the victim. Conclusion Forensic Odontology is a very important process and cannot be ignored in the identification of assaults and victims of a crime or natural disaster. The results obtained have an emotional and social impact to the person. For instance, correspondence of bite marks with those of a suspect will result to them being declared guilty. Since the cases being dealt with in the use of forensic Odontology is a very serious one, carefulness and keenness in following the right procedures is paramount. As a result, the forensic Odontologists should continuously be subjected to training to ensure that they are inline with the current findings and that they attain high performance skills. 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