U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Laboratory Orientation and Testing of Body Fluids and Tissues for Forensic Analysts

Teeth

Home  |  Glossary  |  Resources  |  Help  |  Contact Us  |  Course Map
 

Teeth
National Institute of Justice (NIJ) (see reuse policy).

Teeth are similar to bone in that they incorporate a stable, mineralized component in their structure.  Dental evidence is one of the most powerful tools for identification of remains by comparing dentition with known dental records.  Where no records are available, or when there is only a tooth fragment, DNA typing can be attempted.  The dental pulp in the center of the tooth can be extracted and subjected to DNA, ABO and enzyme typing.

Back Forward