Effect of various temperatures on restored and unrestored teeth: A forensic study.
BACKGROUND
In large scale disasters associated with fire the damage caused by heat can make medico legal identification of human remains difficult. Teeth, restorations, and prostheses all of which are resistant to quite high temperatures and can be used as aids in identification process.


OBJECTIVE
Aim of the study was to investigate the macroscopic and microscopic changes of teeth and several dental filling materials exposed to a range of high temperature (200-800°C). Dental restorations include filling materials, crown, and bridges.


METHODS
Restored and unrestored teeth were placed in a furnace and heated at a rate of 30°C/min and the effects of the predetermined temperatures 200, 400, 600, and 800°C were observed. Macroscopic and stereo microscope findings were observed.


RESULTS
Our results showed that teeth and restorative materials resist higher temperatures than theoretically predicted and that even when a restoration is lost because of detachment or change of state, its ante-mortem presence can be confirmed and detected by stereo microscopic examination of the residual cavity.


CONCLUSIONS
We further conclude that a reasonably reliable estimation of the temperature of exposure can be made from an analysis of the teeth and restorative materials.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Vidya Shikshan Prasarak Mandal's Dental College and Research Centre, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
Shubhangi P
SP
Bagdey
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Vidya Shikshan Prasarak Mandal's Dental College and Research Centre, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
Rohit Balwant
RB
Moharil
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Vidya Shikshan Prasarak Mandal's Dental College and Research Centre, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
Alka M
AM
Dive
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Vidya Shikshan Prasarak Mandal's Dental College and Research Centre, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
Samantha
S
Thakur
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Vidya Shikshan Prasarak Mandal's Dental College and Research Centre, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
Ashish
A
Bodhade
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Vidya Shikshan Prasarak Mandal's Dental College and Research Centre, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
Akshay A
AA
Dhobley
Dental identification; forensic odontology; stereo microscope