Forensic Identification Through Tooth Discoloration And Alignment.

BACKGROUND: Due to poor oral hygiene and use of tobacco, dental discolorations are present in some people and may indicate presence of toxic substances in food or body, while some have anatomical faulty alignment of teeth. The objective of the study was to know the frequency of these discolorations and faulty dental alignment in the target population so that a forensic tool could be developed. METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study was done in the Dentistry Department of Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad during the month of October 2019, on routine patients visiting the department, using non-probability convenience sampling. A Performa was made to be filled by dentists examining their patients using the standard dentition chart to locate teeth; notation chart was used for recording observations. The preliminaries along with subvariables were recorded in the Performa for each of 101 patients observed; data were analyzed by SPSS 20 for descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A cross sectional descriptive study was done in the Dentistry Department of Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad during the month of October 2019, on routine patients visiting the department, using non-probability convenience sampling. A Performa was made to be filled by dentists examining their patients using the standard dentition chart to locate teeth; notation chart was used for recording observations. The preliminaries along with subvariables were recorded in the Performa for each of 101 patients observed; data were analyzed by SPSS 20 for descriptive statistics. CONCLUSIONS: Dental discolorations and faulty alignment of teeth can be utilized as useful tools in exclusionary method of identification which can be used in living and dead for investigation of identification. It was also observed that there is need to emphasize on community dental hygiene in our hospitals.

Types Of Medico-Legal Cases Reported At The Casualty Department Of Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad.

BACKGROUND: Medicolegal data is very important for administrators, health officials, philanthropists, social workers, law enforcement agencies. Because it is used for planning and implementation of strategies in order to reduce further incidents. This study is conducted with the aim to determine different types of medicolegal cases and patterns of weapons used. METHODS: A total of 246 cases were studied from 1st September 2017 to 31st January 2018. All information was collected on a pro forma. Statistical analysis was done by MS Excel. RESULTS: Out of 246 cases, 219 were male and 27 were female with age ranging from 3 to 72 years. Among total, 162(65.85%) patients were injured due to blunt weapon, 17 (6.91%) cases of firearms, 23 (9.34%) in road traffic accidents, 15 (6.09%) sharp-edged weapons, 7 (2.84%) cases were of sexual violence, 11 (4.47%) were of poisoning. CONCLUSIONS: Injuries of blunt weapons followed by sharp edge and accidental cases occurred more frequently.

Forensic Odontology And Dental Status Of Adult Patients Attending The Out Patient Dental Department Of A Tertiary Care Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Pakistan is one of the countries where practice of forensic odontology and its record keeping is poor due to which we face difficulty in identification of individuals in disasters and other medicolegal problems. The objectives of this study were to know the status of forensic odontology and to determine the dental status of adult patients attending dental outpatient department of Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad. METHODS: A cross-sectional Study was carried out from 1st September to 30th September 2018 in the Department of Dentistry, Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad. A questionnaire was designed including preliminary record, standard dental chart, notation chart and other variables. A sample of 96 patients having all permanent teeth were included and examined. Non-probability convenience sampling was used. Data was collected and analyzed on SPSS. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 59.4% males and 40.6% females. Mean number of present teeth with sound status was 24±5. Faulty development was found in 14.6% of the patients. Faulty alignment, black/brown stains and attrition were observed in 38.5%, 86.5% and 25% of the patients respectively. No statistically significant association was found (p >0.05) between gender and faulty development, faulty alignment, staining or attrition. Forensic odontological practice and its record are not maintained in the hospital.. CONCLUSIONS: High proportion the patients have black/brown stains. Faulty alignment is more as compared to faulty development. In our study we observed that no odonatological record is maintained in our hospital.