Utilização de documentação ortodôntica para identificação de cadáver carbonizado: Relato de caso

Abstract

Forensic dentistry expertise for human identification is based on the wide variety of indivializing characteristics of dental arches. In addition, teeth are the most stable, hard and resistant structures of the body. In cases of carbonization, fingerprints are usually not feasible and forensic dentistry becomes a quick and low-cost alternative, eliminating the need for DNA testing to identify victims. The dental records contain all patient documentation and may have, in addition to the technical sheet, image exams, plaster models, photographs, and other documents with relevant information about the dental characteristics. The preparation of the medical record is mandatory on the part of the professional who must also keep it in his own file, according to the Dental Ethics Code. Orthodontics is a specialty that routinely produces a complete medical record due to the complexity and duration of treatment, constituing one of the best dental documentation that the expert can use for body identification. This paper aims to report an expert case in witch a carbonized corpse was identified by the forensic dentistry method using orthodontic documentation produced before death. It is concluded that the orthodontic documentation was important for the quick and efficient identification of the victim, both for the wealth of information contained therein and for beeing filed with the dentist who assisted the victim in life.