DNA in forensic odontology: New phase in dental analysis

In forensic identification cases, where human remains are extremely damaged or degraded by mass disaster, teeth and bones are often the only available sources of DNA. Nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA are the most frequently investigated types of DNA in teeth. There are various techniques including decontaminations, sampling methods, and DNA extraction methods by polymerase chain reaction. DNA content of teeth varies considerably between individual and also between teeth from the same individual. Tooth type, chronological age and dental diseases affect the DNA content of teeth. Teeth are the preferred skeletal source of DNA because they can be retrieved from human skeletal remains even after very long years after death. The comprehensive understanding of tooth structure and composition, as well as process of diagenesis in teeth, is crucial for determining the location of DNA in postmortem teeth. Targeted subsampling and careful case selection of appropriate decontamination and extraction protocols will further increase the value of teeth as a source of DNA. This method can be applied in mass disaster where the fragments of the tooth are available for disaster victim identification.