Image comparison versus written records in forensic odontology: a matter of confidence.

Abstract

The purpose of comparison of records of a missing person with those derived from examination of a deceased person is to establish the identity of the deceased. The certainty of the conclusion has significant consequences in terms of the outcomes for families, investigators, coroners and the administration of justice. We discuss the issues relating to the use of comparison of images deriving directly from individuals as opposed to comparison of written dental records in routine forensic odontology identification, and analyse the pattern of use of images in routine Queensland forensic odontology in response to the changing forensic environment between 1994 and the present.