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Age estimation methods through developmental atlases are simplified by image comparison using radiographs. Atlas‐based methods have been utilized to create population‐specific charts addressing population diversity. To tackle the absence of a dedicated atlas for the Brazilian population, the objective of the present study was to create a new atlas for dental development in Brazil based on the London Atlas chart. The new atlas (RP Atlas) is based on the median of tooth development, eruption, and resorption in individuals aged 5 to 23. The sample (567 individuals) was divided between females (n = 290) and males (n = 277). The RP Atlas was handcrafted, scanned, colored, and clustered in two atlases divided by sex. The development of a specific atlas for the Brazilian population has the potential to enhance the accuracy of age estimation in forensic scenarios, notably in a mixed country like Brazil. Further research is needed to assess the suitability of the newly developed atlas for the Brazilian population. Research Highlights: Atlas development methods provide a more straightforward image comparison using OPGs.Methods for age estimation need to be adaptable to a population‐specific approach.RP Atlas is Brazil's first specific atlas of tooth eruption and development.From 18 years old onwards, dental development has unstable patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: firearm projectiles are the cause of head and neck injuries of large proportions. Therefore, investigating and describing the areas of the head and neck that are mostly affected by firearm projectiles is essential to determine a pattern of these injuries. This kind of investigation can be useful in forensic medicine to help elucidate and differentiate self-inflicted injuries compared to those accidental shots or homicides. Materials and Methods: systematic review based on the analysis of studies published in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, between 1989 and 2022, collected in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Lilacs. Results: the search identified 47 articles, of which six studies met the inclusion criteria and were, therefore, used for data collection. In general, the literature indicates that the head and neck areas mostly affected by firearm projectiles are directly related to the cause of death. Conclusions: the present study provides evidence that proves the variation in the areas of the head and neck mostly affected by firearm projectiles according to the cause of death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of earth and water on the colour stability of tooth-coloured dental restorative materials: composite resin (CR) and glass ionomer cement (GIC). Aiming to distinguish between one and another tooth-coloured material and to estimate the period in which they could be submitted to the factors earth and water, the proposed method may contribute to the proceedings of human identification of victims of burial and submersion in water. Forty bovine incisors were prepared (6 x 6 x 2mm) and restored with CR Filtek™ Z250 XT (3M ESPE™) and GIC Ketac™ Fil Plus (3M ESPE™). After initial colour read-outs (VITA™ Easyshade spectrophotometer), the samples were separated into two groups (n=10), according to the conditions to which they were submitted: simulations of burying and submersion in water, for periods of 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, when new read-outs were taken. The values of colour change (ΔE, ΔL*, Δa*, and Δb*) were subjected to 3-way ANOVA statistical analysis, repeated measures, Bonferroni (p<.05), and it was verified that both factors produced colour changes in the restorative materials, which were higher for glass ionomer cement (p<.05) after 12 months of burial, and 6 months of submersion in water. The authors concluded that the analysis of colour change in the material contributed to the forensic odontology casework depending on the time during which the victim was submitted to the condition of burial or submersion in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Stomatologica Croatica is the property of Acta Stomatologica Croatica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Unopar Cientifica Ciencias Biologicas e da Saude is the property of Unopar Cientifica Ciencias Biologicas e da Saude and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Dental Press de Estética is the property of Dental Press International and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of RGO: Revista Gaúcha de Odontologia is the property of RGO: Revista Gaucha de Odontologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Dental Science / Arquivos em Odontologia is the property of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Faculdade de Odontologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction and objective: To evaluate the knowledge of dentists graduated from the School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (FORP-USP) between 1998 and 2009 about domestic violence against children, women and elderly. Material and methods: A questionnaire with multiple-choice questions was applied to 180 subjects and the collected data were subjected to statistical analysis. Results: The majority of respondents never treated or suspected that a patient had been a victim of domestic violence, and affirmed not being able to identify cases of physical abuse. Forty-five percent, however, would report child abuse to the legal authorities; in cases of violence against women and elderly people, 69% and 40%, respectively, would talk to the victim. The differences between the responses obtained at the different senior years were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Despite the advances made in this area of undergraduate education, the dentist still needs to develop competencies and skills for dealing with domestic violence regarding its identification and approaches to be followed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of RGO: Revista Gaúcha de Odontologia is the property of RGO: Revista Gaucha de Odontologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Ciência & Saúde Coletiva is the property of Associacao Brasileira de Pos-Graduacao em Saude Coletiva and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Dental Press de Ortodontia e Ortopedia Facial is the property of Dental Press International and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Odonto Ciencia is the property of EDIPUCRS - Editora Universitaria da PUCRS and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aim: This study investigated the use of dental arch examination as a forensic technique for body identification at the Institute of Forensic Medicine (IML, acronym in Portuguese) of Pelotas (RS), a city located in the South of Brazil. Methods: The data collected for the study referred to the period between 2004 and 2006, when a forensic dentist was part of the IML staff. The post-mortem records with regard to the entry of unidentified bodies that had undergone dental identification by the forensic dentists were analyzed quantitatively. Results: Ten unidentified bodies entered the IML and all of them were submitted to dental arch examination for body identification. However, the conclusive identification was based on the analysis of DNA, because the victims' dental records were not accurate, complete and updated. Only five assessed bodies had been referred from Pelotas police station, two from Pedro Osório police station, one from Capão do Leão police station, one from Arroio Grande police station and one had no information about its origin. Conclusions: The current configuration of Pelotas IML staff does not include a forensic dentist, and the presence of this professional is needed, for the city is reference for referral of forensic cases from the surrounding region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human identification is currently one of the most outstanding areas of Forensic Sciences. Forensic anthropology is a branch of the Forensic Sciences concerned with the application of general anthropological knowledge and methods to the process of law. Postmortem human identification is one of the major areas of study and research in Legal Medicine and Forensic Dentistry and both sciences work with the same type material and the human body in several conditions. Every human being has an identity in life, which should be recognized after death both for family consolation and for juridical purposes. Therefore, the aim of this literature review was to discuss and elaborate on the relationship between Forensic Anthropology and Molecular Biology in the expert practice of Forensic Dentistry. The use of DNA profile tests in Forensic Dentistry offers a new perspective in human identification. Molecular biology techniques should definitely be added to the constellation of investigative resources of the forensic sciences, providing a variety of tools to Forensic Anthropology practice in human identity research, especially when the usual identification methods fail due to the deleterious effects of heat, trauma or autolytic processes on the body or body remains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Using images in the facial image comparison process poses a challenge for forensic experts due to limitations such as the presence of facial expressions. The aims of this study were to analyze how morphometric changes in the face during a spontaneous smile influence the facial image comparison process and to evaluate the reproducibility of measurements obtained by digital stereophotogrammetry in these situations., Materials and Methods: Three examiners used digital stereophotogrammetry to obtain 3-dimensional images of the faces of 10 female participants (aged between 23 and 45 years). Photographs of the participants' faces were captured with their faces at rest (group 1) and with a spontaneous smile (group 2), resulting in a total of 60 3-dimensional images. The digital stereophotogrammetry device obtained the images with a 3.5-ms capture time, which prevented undesirable movements of the participants. Linear measurements between facial landmarks were made, in units of millimeters, and the data were subjected to multivariate and univariate statistical analyses using Pirouette® version 4.5 (InfoMetrix Inc., Woodinville, WA, USA) and Microsoft Excel® (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA), respectively., Results: The measurements that most strongly influenced the separation of the groups were related to the labial/buccal region. In general, the data showed low standard deviations, which differed by less than 10% from the measured mean values, demonstrating that the digital stereophotogrammetry technique was reproducible., Conclusion: The impact of spontaneous smiles on the facial image comparison process should be considered, and digital stereophotogrammetry provided good reproducibility., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: None., (Copyright © 2021 by Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the morphology of the mandibular dental arch and the maxillary central incisor crown. Cast models from 51 Caucasian individuals, older than 15 years, with optimal occlusion, no previous orthodontic treatment, featuring 4 of the 6 keys to normal occlusion by Andrews (the first being mandatory) were observed. The models were digitalized using a 3D scanner, and images of the maxillary central incisor and mandibular dental arch were obtained. These were printed and placed in an album below pre-set models of arches and dental crowns, and distributed to 12 dental surgeons, who were asked to choose which shape was most in accordance with the models and crown presented. The Kappa test was performed to evaluate the concordance among evaluators while the chi-square test was used to verify the association between the dental arch and central incisor morphology, at a 5% significance level. The Kappa test showed moderate agreement among evaluators for both variables of this study, and the chi-square test showed no significant association between tooth shape and mandibular dental arch morphology. It may be concluded that the use of arch morphology as a diagnostic method to determine the shape of the maxillary central incisor is not appropriate. Further research is necessary to assess tooth shape using a stricter scientific basis.

The established importance of Forensic Dentistry for human identification, mainly when there is little remaining material to perform such identification (e.g., in fires, explosions, decomposing bodies or skeletonized bodies), has led dentists working with forensic investigation to become more familiar with the new molecular biology techniques. The currently available DNA tests have high reliability and are accepted as legal proofs in courts. This article presents a literature review referring to the main studies on Forensic Dentistry that involve the use of DNA for human identification, and makes an overview of the evolution of this technology in the last years, highlighting the importance of molecular biology in forensic sciences.