Forensic Odontology and Disaster Victim Identification

Victim identification is the part of fatality management involved in the scientific identification of human remains. The use of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has revolutionized disaster victim identification (DVI) and forensic science in general. Demobilization occurs after the incident command determines that the DVI operation should terminate. Human identification by comparative dental analysis is based on recording specific properties of the human dentition and surrounding dental structures and dental restorations. Antemortem dental data consist of all the historical dental information on an individual and should include their treatment record, radiographic and photographic information, and, if available, dental casts. Although most medical examiners offices use a trained forensic odontologist for daily operations, the DVI forensic odontology team members require additional specialized training. When determining the necessary number of forensic odontology team members in a particular situation, it is essential to ensure their mental and physical health by providing adequate time away from the incident.