Rom J Leg Med [22] 263-266 [2014] DOI: 10.4323/rjlm.2014.263 © 2014 Romanian Society of Legal Medicine 263 Preliminary study on the tongue-based forensic identifcation Corina Laura Stefanescu 1 , Marius Florentin Popa 2,* , Lavinia-Simona Candea 3 _________________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract: By means of the present study we intend to analyse lingual morphological aspects and demonstrate their importance and reliability as main criteria with force of evidence in using forensic dentistry to identify a person. To that end, we conducted the examination of 270 female and male adults between 21 and 40 years old, whose tongues were photographed front and side view. Te purpose of the direct examination of the tongue was to emphasize morphological features: shape, type, characteristics of the longitudinal medial septum and the related grooves, as well as the lingual apex type, all of these being preserved using the alginate moulding, which helped taking the impression of the dorsal surface through direct application (from the level of the oral commissures up to the lingual tip) and that of the lateral lingual edges up to the lingual apex level. Tus, we demonstrated that the lingual impression, next to its photographic image, may constitute secure methods for forensic dentistry identifcation, showing that the inspection of the tongue is a real proof of life and genetic independence, in the sense that there are no two tongues with shape and texture, since lingual morphological aspects are difcult to copy and display stability over time. Key Words: lingual impression, forensic identifcation, dentistry, lingual morphological aspects, uniqueness. 1) “Ovidius” University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Mobile Protetics, Constanta, Romania 2) “Ovidius” University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Forensic Pathology, Constanta, Romania * Corresponding author: Associate Professor, MD, PhD, Department of Forensic Phatology, Faculty of Medicine, “Ovidius” University Constanta; Forensic County Service, 2 Zmeurei Alley, Constanta, Romania; Tel. +40744297697, Email: marius_popa2005@yahoo.com 3) “Mina Minovici” National Institute of Legal Medicine, Bucharest, Romania T he tongue is the only internal organ which can be easily drawn out and displayed for inspection and palpation purposes. By means of its shape and texture, its aspect and colour analysed in a particular moment, this organ is helpful due to its exposed portion comprising information with visible diferences from one individual to another, and may be easily called and used as a “lingual impression”. Te individual lingual shape is consistent and the physiological texture is invariable. Te human tongue is encased within the oral cavity, where it lies isolated from and protected against the external environment, just as the palatine folds do, unlike the other notorious elements employed in human identifcation. Te analysis of the lingual morphological aspects preserved using the alginate moulding technique, the most reliable technique for duplicating the most minute details, represents a criterion with force of evidence up on uniqueness for each and every individual, with the help of which forensic dentistry identifcation provides information with predictive values as far as a person’s identity is concerned. MATERIALS AND METHODS Tis study was carried out on 270 female and male adults between 21 and 40 years old, whose tongues