title: Supernumerary teeth: an investigating tool in forensic crime investigation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Supernumerary tooth is an additional entity to the normal series and is seen in all the quadrants of the jaw. The prevalence rates of supernumerary teeth in the permanent dentition, reported in the literature, vary between 0.1% and 6.9%. The presence of supernumerary teeth may be part of developmental disorders. As supernumerary tooth is a rare condition, it can be used as identification tool for crime investigation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 30 volunteers with a supernumerary tooth were analyzed and casts were made after taking alginate impression. All the casts were coded and were given to five observers for correct identification of those volunteers with respective prepared cast.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Personal identification and the cast identification of volunteers were done (cast of the volunteers). The matching identification is followed as below: Of five observers 1(st) observer able to detect 25 (83%), 2(nd) observer 27 (90%), 3(rd) observer 26 (87%), 4(th) observer 25 (83%) and 5(th) observer 28 (91%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As positive matching identification was 87%, supernumerary tooth can be used for crime investigation and used as greatest weapon in criminal identification.
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology, Rayat & Bahra Dental College & Hospital, Sahauran, Mohali, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Rupinder Kaur
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Multani
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Endodontics, Aditya Dental College, Beed, Maharastra, India.
authors.forename: Kishore Kumar
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Sangeri
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Oral Medicine & Radiology, Thai Moogambikai Dental College & Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramalakshmi
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Endodontics, Peoples College of Dental Sciences and Research, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pavithra
authors.affiliation: Asociate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Srinivasa Medical College, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rajesh
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Apollo White, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Laiphrakpam Girindra
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Singh
keywords: Crime investigation; dental cast; positive identification; supernumerary teeth