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Forensic science corresponds to the employment of science to the law or legal matters. One of the major concerns of legal system is to deduce the recognition of an item or individual, involved in crime for which forensic expert plays a pivotal role. Forensic odontology, a budding branch in dentistry, involves the application of dentistry to the legal system. The dental characteristics are considered as one of the primary characteristics of identification as per Interpol DVI guidelines. Thus, establishing the identity of unknown human remains through dental features is considered as one of the core domains of forensic odontology. However, its reliability and its acceptability in the court of law are only secondary to the application of DNA technologies. Also, the acceptability of bite-mark analysis and its evidentiary role is debatable. However, the bite marks may also be a source of salivary DNA, to establish the linking of the perpetrator to the victim. The recent advancements in the DNA technologies and the use of teeth and saliva as sources of DNA are the added advantages in the application of DNA as person identifiers especially in badly mutilated, decomposed and charred bodies and in linking the perpetrator to the crime. With this background, we present here a review on the application of forensic genetics from a forensic odontology point of view., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology.)

Genetic counseling services have only recently been introduced in most Arab countries, and their utilization is increasing. Prenatal genetic counseling is essential, particularly in the Arab context, which is characterized by high rates of consanguinity. Nevertheless, little is known about the decisions faced by parents and the factors underlying the complex decision making that must occur when accessing these services in Arab countries. Herein, we performed a narrative review to discuss the reported experiences of parents accessing genetic counseling in the prenatal setting in the 22 Arab countries. We also highlight the different types of decisions encountered and the factors influencing them. We report that: (i) utilization of genetic counseling services varies across different Arab countries; (ii) many factors affect decision making and service utilization, especially religion; and (iii) parents are faced with an array of decisions in the prenatal setting, partly driven by increased utilization of prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic testing in some countries. Our work is the first to highlight the different factors and decisions influencing genetic counseling in Arab countries. Understanding these factors is essential for improving genetic counseling services in the region and helping counselors facilitate informed decision making.

Mucormycosis is an opportunistic fungal infection with a high fatality rate and is the third most common fungal infection that is invasive in nature, next to candidiasis and aspergillosis. The condition is generally vasotropic and angio-invasive in nature. It gets disseminated to a wider area locally and also exhibits a distant spread. It is usually associated with medically compromised patients. However, mucormycosis in immunocompetent individuals is gaining attention as several cases have been reported throughout the world with a high incidence of such cases being reported from the Indian subcontinent. It is attributed to the poor socio-economic status and triggered by the local trauma due to unhygienic setup or poor health care. The pathway of pathogenesis is not clearly understood in immunocompetent patients and therefore becomes a matter of great concern. Here, we report one such case of mucormycosis affecting the maxillary region following tooth extraction in a 42-year-old male.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of 0.1% tacrolimus powder in Oraguard-B for the treatment of patients with symptomatic oral lichen planus (OLP)., Methods: This was a nonrandomized, nonblinded study conducted in the outpatient department. The 20 patients with symptomatic OLP oral lichen planus who were asked to participate in the study were provided with 20-g containers of the study medication. Patients were asked to use the medication over the symptomatic areas three times a day until resolution of the lesion. Patients were recalled to assess the drug response every 15 days., Results: The duration of treatment ranged from 30 to 183 days, with a mean of 81.8 ± 44.4 days; all 20 patients reported a favourable response to the topical tacrolimus therapy. Eleven patients had complete resolution of their lesions. In 16 of 20 patients, there was marked resolution in symptoms as recorded by visual analogue scale. Out of 10 patients followed up for a period of 3 months, 5 had recurrence of their lesions but with less intensity, and the patients were symptomless. No serious side effects were associated with the study medication., Conclusion: Topical tacrolimus 0.1% in Oraguard-B was effective and safe in treating patients with OLP. However, there is still a need to undertake more detailed and objective clinical studies to determine the exact benefit of tacrolimus compared with conventional therapies and examine the influence of different dose regimes and formulations and assess the incidence of recurrence.