Forensic Odontology: Identification of the Skull - Case Study Example

The police went on with the investigation in vain. This led to Miss Bianca being recorded among missing persons.

            On the 11th of Aug 2007, a farmer called the police from Beverly with the claim that he had spotted a skull on his farm. I received a phone call from Detective Brown on the 13th of Aug 2007 to help assist in the investigation as a forensic odontologist. I went to the site to examine the skeletal remains. I discovered that the victim at the scene was relatively skeletonized. Next to the skeleton remains were a wristwatch and a silver medal whose chain indicated that it was issued at a basketball competition in February 2007.

             I identified the skeletal remains through the observation of morphological features and the use of metric techniques. After a very vivid examination, I concluded that the remains belong to a female individual of about 22 to 23 years. The bone framework of the skull had a titanium fixation that pointed to facial surgery. The time of death was estimated in reference to the rate of decomposition and the time indicated by the issuance of the medal.  I thus came to the conclusion that the death might have occurred about 5 months ago.

The medical history of Miss Bianca indicated that she had undergone reconstructive facial therapy that earned her a titanium fixation. The family was able to recognize the wristwatch that had been bought for her on her last birthday.

• Reason for referral to forensic odontologist

 I was requested by the Australian Police Department to assist as a forensic odontologist in the identification of the skeletal remains.

3. Court report.

I received a phone call from Detective Brown to help in the identification of the remains as a forensic odontologist. A forensic odontologist is a dentist whose field of profession revolves around the forensic analysis of dental records.  I confirmed that I had what it takes to handle the investigation.  I was asked to determine if:

The skull was human

Related to forensic odontology; the sex of the deceased.

The age of the deceased

The race of the deceased

The morphology of the skull.

The examination of the dentition for any wear and implicated treatment.

Extract DNA from the calcified tissues.

 All these were to be related to the application of forensic odontology.

3.1. Recovery of the remains

Handling of the skeletal remains at any scene usually calls for strict adherence to the standard protocols.  In accordance with these protocols, the procedural operations that follow are usually done under security observation.

3.2 The methods

The examination and determination of the identity of the skull were done through analysis of the morphology and the determination of a number of measurements.

3.2.2 Comparison of Human Vs Nonhuman Remains.

The determination of a human skull is simple owing to the distinct morphology.  The shape and measurement of the skull are thus used to come to the conclusion that the skull is indeed human. My field of practice has exposed me to related experience in the analysis of the bones of the human skull. I thus came to the conclusion that the skull is indeed human.

3.2.3 Sex of the Victim.

For the skull, the sex can be told by examining the mastoid process which appears larger in males than in females.  Male individuals also have a less vertical forehead with dominant orbital ridges.   The mandible angle in males is also expected to be wide and the angle appears very sharp.  The features I observed on the skull are contrary to all the above and I thus concluded, that the skull belongs to a female individual.

3.2.4 The race

 Owing to genetic diversity, race determination is a bit complicated.  However, it was possible to elucidate a number of racial aspects with reference to the nasal bone and the shape of the chin bone. The skull depicts a narrow nasal bone with a jutting chin bone. These aspects point to white ancestry.

3.2.5 Postmortem interval

Various methods can be applied in dating. I based my examination on the rate of decomposition. I came to the conclusion that the victim might have died about four or five months ago.