Identification of a charred body by comparative analysis of surgically removed jaws: A case report

This case report aims to highlight the importance of comparative analysis of surgically removed jaws, especially when expert human identification is required. In this study’s case, a charred body was discovered inside a burnt-out vehicle on the side of a highway. Initially, the vehicle was identified, and its registration and electronic documentation were verified with the competent traffic authorities. The possible victim's family was contacted and interviewed. Given the impossibility of a dactyloscopy due to the destruction of the necessary structures and the possible time and cost limitations associated with DNA identification, the family was asked if the possible victim had any medical or dental history records. The victim's jaws were surgically removed and compared with the dental documentation kept by the possible victim's dental surgeon. Identification using the dental method proved to be viable. The process of forensic dentistry identification is essentially comparative, involving the clinical evaluation of the victim’s surgically removed jaws compared to their dental records (forensic dentistry documents). This approach represents a crucial contribution and, in some cases, might be the main or only reference for resolving legal human identification.