Ameloglyphics: Key to Victim Identification in Calamities and Disasters

There has been a considerable increase in natural calamities such as earthquakes and floods occurring across various parts of the world. Apart from causing a high number of fatalities, victim identification poses a significant challenge in mass disaster scenarios. In forensic odontology, biometric information plays a crucial role in identifying deceased individuals. However, soft tissues undergo rapid deterioration following such disasters, making hard tissues a more reliable source for identification. To evaluate the usefulness of enamel rod end patterns for forensic identification after exposure to conditions simulating flood and earthquake scenarios. Human teeth were subjected to simulated disaster conditions by immersing them in seawater to mimic flood situations and burying them in soil to simulate earthquake conditions. After exposure, enamel rod end patterns were recorded and analyzed using VeriFinger software. Enamel rod end patterns were successfully recorded following exposure to both simulated conditions. The pat- terns demonstrated identifiable characteristics, indicating their resistance to environmental degradation.Tooth enamel, owing to its highly crystalline nature and negligible organic content, serves as a reliable hard tissue for forensic identification. Enamel rod end pattern analysis can be effectively used as a biometric tool for victim iden- tification in mass disaster situations such as floods and earthquakes.