Indian Journal of Forensic Odontology

  Salivary detection and analysis is playing an increasingly important role in the field of forensic sciences. Its benefits include ease of collection based on non-invasive methods, safety in handling and high similarity of constituents with those of plasma. It has a wide range of applications in forensics and this update is aimed to highlight the same.

Keywords: Saliva; DNA; Forensics.

  Background: Dentinal translucency is one of the significant parameters used for dental age estimation that is least affected by pathologic processes and environmental changes. Butterfly effect is an optical phenomenon seen in some cross-sections of tooth roots due to root dentine translucency. Aim: To determine if the butterfly effect in the cross sections of teeth correlates with the age and gender of the individual. Material and Methodology: 90 extracted teeth specimen with known age & gender were collected from 3 age groups with equal gender distribution [30 each group- Group-I (15-24 years), Group-II (25-44 years) and Group III (45 years and older)]. Thecross sections of roots were cut at apical, middle and cervical one third and examined for presence of butterfly effect under light and polarized microscopy. Statistical Analysis: Pearson’s chi square test was applied to calculate the data between all the three groups. Results: Occurrence ofbutterfly effect increased from GroupI to Group III with a mean percentage of 5.6%, 28.9% & 54.5% respectively. The effect was mainly featured at apical third in Group –I, while it could be observed at all the levels in Group III. The chi square test revealed a significant correlation between butterfly effect and age with a statistically significant p–value of 0.049 (less than < 0.5). Conclusion: The presence of butterfly effect has strong correlation with age; however, it does not correlate with gender. 

Keywords: Butterfly Effect; Dental Age Estimation; Dentinal Translucency.

Introduction: Dermatoglyphics is the study of epidermal ridges on the planter & palmer surface of human skin. These patterns are genetically inherited by polygenic system with individual genes which can serve as a diagnostic tool to determine various systemic problems like diabetes, hypertension, schizophrenia, etc and even malignant lesions.
Aims: To study various dermatoglyphic patterns in diabetes mellitus & chronic periodontitis & whether it can be used as possible risk indicator in periodontitis patients for the future predilection of diabetes mellitus.
Study Design: Finger-prints of total 75 patients divided in 3 groups were recorded using ink stamp method, ie healthy group (CGG), periodontitis group (CGP) and periodontitis with diabetes mellitus group (CGP+DM). The prints of all 10 fingers of each patient were taken and were analyzed with the help of 2X-3X magnifying glass. The collected data was subjected to statistical tests.
Results: Overall (CGP+DM) showed to have more number of loops. (CGP+DM) have more number of whorls when compared to CGP group. CGG has more arches when compared to the other two groups. CGP group has more loops compared to CGG group.
Conclusion: Chronic periodontitis patients with more number of whorls are at a higher risk of having diabetes mellitus.

Keywords: Periodontitis; Dermatoglyphics; Diabetes Mellitus; Finger Pattern.

  This study aims at drawing differences in the rugae pattern and the morphology of central incisors among the two selective groups containing North Indians and south Indians by a method of descriptive epidemiology study subjects of 30 in a selective population of 15 each from north Indians and south indians in the group of 19-25years are selected according to the inclusion criteria. Further the investigation was proceeded prior to which an informed consent has been obtained from the concerned samples. Later by alginate impression were made and cast poured with type 2 gypsum product <dental stone >. The rugae pattern was recorded based
on Thomas et al classification and the incisors morphology of every sample was determined based on the crown length ratio in guidance to gobbato et al Indian periodontics restoration dent 2012.

Keywords: Morphology; Incisors; Periodontics.