www.ijcmr.com International Journal of Contemporary Medical Research ISSN (Online): 2393-915X; (Print): 2454-7379 | ICV: 50.43 | Volume 3 | Issue 8 | August 2016 2491 Maxillofacial Imaging in Forensic Science: A Newer Approach Moazzam Jawaid 1 , Ali Amir 2 , Kamil Shahnawaz 3 , Yumna Qamar 4 , Piyush Upadhay 3 , Jyotsana Singh 2 REVIEW ARTICLE ABSTRACT Forensic science has emerged as quite interesting as well signiicant speciality gainig a lot of interest and importance from world of law professionals. One of the reason for its rise as a speciality is the introduction of maxillofacial imaging. The maxillofacial radiographic techniques has been found out to be quite important in human identiication. Forensic maxillofacial radiology includes the conduction, interpretation, and reporting of radiological examinations and procedures connected to the courts and the law. The inclusion of the maxillofacial radiologist provides invaluable information in forensic consultations and medico legal investigations. This paper has been formulated to evaluate the role of dentomaxillofacial radiography in forensic science where radiographic methods may be used to determine identity using the teeth, root structures andfrontal sinuses. Recent imaging techniques, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are being incorporated in this speciality. Keywords: Forensic science, maxillofacial radiology, forensic odontology. INTRODUCTION Forensic science is a branch of scientiic that include method of collection and examination of evidence in a judicial setting and is accepted by the court and the general scientiic community. It is a branch of science that involves the application of dental sciences in the identiication of dead individuals by comparing ante‑ and postmortem records. 1 From 66 AD till date, identiication on the basis of teeth has signiicantly contributed tin identiication of dead individuals, the irst case being accepted by the law in the year 1849. 2 In children, analysis of the number of teeth that has erupted play a role in the estimation of age at death, as well as, to the identiication procedure of unknown skeletons. The attempt is made to compare the properties and characteristics of unknown skeletons with the person whose identity is being analyzed. So,in this manner the disappeared child can be identiied. However, it also contribute in the age evaluation of living children with unknown identity, suspected of crime or violence with aggravating circumstances, by the police. 3 In the 21 st century despite massive advancement in science and technology, human race is still facing problems due to natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis), medical breakthroughs, crime, and violence accounting for the loss of numerous lifes. The signiicance of personal identiication of dead people in such situation become quite important is for personal, social, and legal purposes. Forensic science deals with the identiication of the dead using numerous techniques. Forensic odontology has proved to be quite signiicant in human identiication. Methods like rugoscopy, bite marks, palatal rugae, photographs, lip prints, etc. are used for identifying the individuals. 4 Generally these methods depend solely on the examination of the soft tissues,so it become very necessary to preserve them. This become a problem when thee body parts get burnt, lacerated and traumatized. In the human body, teeth and facial bones are hard structures and are unaffected by the decompositional/ destructional forces well even under extreme forces and/ or temperature variations. The speciic anatomical features of the teeth are captured easily on the radiographs so they become an invaluable tool in forensic sciences. Radiographic identiication has long been in use and the technique is eficient, comparatively easy, records can be obtained in both living and dead. 5 It has an added advantage that it is less expensive as compared with the DNA analysis. They can play an important role in solving the medicolegal cases with the help of sound knowledge of all these special imaging techniques which will enhance the scope of maxillofacial imaging in personal identiication. 6 HISTORY The case of dental identiication was irst reported in an 80‑yearold John Talbot in 1453. Dr. Paul Revere is being credited as the irst expert of forensic odontology. He was able to identify the body of Dr. Joseph Warren with the help of silver and ivory bridges. The earliest use of forensic odontology was used in U.S. Court. In a very interesting incident a person crime was conirmed by crushed fragments of mineral teeth fused to gold. Criminal was then hanged. L’Art Dentaire en Medicine Legale was the irst dissertation on forensic odontology written by Dr. Oscar Amoedo in 1898. Since then several studies has been performed in this regard. Chantilly. Welty and Glasgow in 1946 in order to further enhance the forensic odontology introduced the use of computers and they created a computer system in which the information about the teeth of 500 people were stored in 1 minute. 7,8 Kieser-Nielsen assessed the uniqueness of teeth mathematically. Sogannaes et al. (1982) compared the bitemarks of twins by using computer application and found out the bitemarks were different and unique . Sweet and Pretty conducted a study to conclude that the size, shape and pattern of the incisal or biting edges of upper and lower anterior teeth are speciic to an individual. Analysis of bite mark evidence through video analysis was utilized in a California court. David et al. are being credited to involve scanning electron microscopy in bite mark analysis. 9 In todays era of modern technology newer 1 Post Graduate Student, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, 2 Post Graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, 3 Post Graduate Student, Department of Conservative and Endodontics, Institute of Dental Sciences, Bareilly, 4 Post Graduate Student, Department of Orthodontics, Z.A.D.C. AMU, Aligarh, India Corresponding author: Moazzam Jawaid, Room No. 125, New Resident Hostel, Institute Of Dental Sciences, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, 243001, India How to cite this article: Moazzam Jawaid, Ali Amir, Kamil Shahnawaz, Yumna Qamar, Piyush Upadhay, Jyotsana Singh. Maxillofacial imaging in forensic science: a newer approach. International Journal of Contemporary Medical Research 2016;3(8):2491‑2495.