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History of Odontology

Odontology, the science of using dental information to identify a deceased person, began as early as the first century A.D. Since then, this field of study has grown to be recognized worldwide by organizations such as the American Board of Forensic Odontology. It is useful both in convicting criminals in court and in identifying victims of natural disasters.

  1. Ancient History and the Middle Ages

    • The earliest record of an individual being identified based on dental examination dates back to 66 A.D., when Nero's mother accepted the head of Lollina Paulina as proof of his death based on the discoloration of his teeth. The early practice of odontology is mentioned again in historic information from the Middle Ages. This time, dental records were used to identify John Talbot, a soldier who was killed in the Battle of Castillon.

    Early American History

    • The first known use of odontology in the New World occurred when dentist and revolutionary Paul Revere identified the otherwise unrecognizable body of Dr. Joseph Warren based on a dental bridge he had constructed for him two years prior. Odontological evidence was first accepted in court about 75 years later in the Webster-Parkman case, during which the jury was presented with remnants of dental fillings from the victim's dismembered body.

    Mid-1900s

    • The practice of odontology made some of its most significant advances during the mid-twentieth century. Two odontologists (Welty and Glasgow) developed a system in which dental records could be analyzed quickly by a system of cards used on a computer. This invention significantly advanced the odontological process, making it both more accurate and easier to use. This process was then further refined as it was used to identify remains in a number of large-scale disasters.

    Recent Uses for Odontology

    • Odontology has been used to recognize victims of events such as the World Trade Center attacks in 2001, where teeth were often the only part of the body that survived the destruction. While fingerprinting is still the preferred method of identifying victims, odontology has proven to be very helpful in many cases. It has been recognized officially by the American Board of Forensic Odontology.

    Need for Future Advances

    • The practice of odontology has room for advancement on several levels. For example, dental records are only useful when scientists have a reasonable guess about who the teeth may belong to. For example, forensic specialists who wish to identify the remains of a body from a plane crash must first narrow down the list of victims from the names of people who boarded the plane. As this science improves, forensic scientists may be able to compare dental records in the same way they compare fingerprints.

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