Dental Anthropology-A Revolutionary Tool in Forensic Science
Anura Saher Raza
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sharad Pawar Dental College and Hospital, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed to be University), Sawangi(Meghe) Wardha, India.
Amit Reche *
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sharad Pawar Dental College and Hospital, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed to be University), India.
Kumar Gaurav Chhabra
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sharad Pawar Dental College and Hospital, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed to be University), India.
Priyanka Paul Madhu
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sharad Pawar Dental College and Hospital, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed to be University), India.
Drishti Dixit
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sharad Pawar Dental College and Hospital, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed to be University), Sawangi(Meghe) Wardha, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Dental anthropology is a field of physical anthropology that studies the origin, development, and evolution of anthropoid dentitions, as well as their relationship to social, physical, and cultural factors. Teeth have their own distinct morphology and physiology, which is in stark contrast to the body's genetic structure. Teeth are also unique among the resistant elements of archaeological and fossil remains in that they have been exposed on the body's surface throughout their lives. As a result, dental anthropology may be assessed in the mouth cavity of living humans using similar methods to those used for prehistoric relics. As a result, it's no surprise that practising dental surgeons have historically ranked well among dental anthropologists.
This review’s initial purpose is to provide an overview of the morphological and non-morphological properties of animate dentitions that aid in the indirect identification of prehistoric remains and the understanding of their cultural, social, and physical relationships, as well as to assist forensic odontologists with craniofacial identification and skull bone reconstruction.
Keywords: Dental anthropology, forensic anthropologists, metric tooth traits, snaggletooth, tooth wear