Evaluation of different dental restorative materials subjected to high temperatures: A forensic perspective

Introduction: Forensic Dental Medicine is of fundamental importance for human identification through the collection of dental data, since teeth, prostheses, and restorations exhibit high resistance to extreme conditions. Objectives: To contribute to the understanding of the behavior of teeth and restorations when exposed to high temperatures, as an auxiliary method in human identification within Forensic Dental Medicine. Materials and Methods: A bibliographic search was conducted in the PubMed and Scopus databases regarding the behavior of dental restorative materials subjected to high temperatures. The terms “forensic,” “temperature,” and “restoration” were used without any time limit, in English, Portuguese, or Spanish, employing the Boolean operators OR and AND. A total of 93 studies were obtained, of which 15 were selected. Results: Most studies were in vitro, involving extracted teeth restored with various materials that were subjected to different temperatures, and the resulting changes were recorded. Among the observed alterations, color change was the most characteristic finding for each temperature range. The metal-ceramic crown was found to best preserve its properties, while glass ionomer cement was the material that showed fragmentation at the earliest stage. Conclusions: The restorative material used influences the preservation of dental evidence when exposed to high temperatures. Metal-ceramic crowns demonstrate high stability at elevated temperatures, making them a good forensic indicator, whereas other materials exhibit varied behaviors. The use of complementary diagnostic methods is recommended, although further studies and the development of usage protocols are necessary.