title: Estimation of date of death through wound healing of an extraction socket: A case report.
abstract: Surgical extraction of teeth due to dental pathologies is a relatively common procedure in modern man. The healing of the wound that results occurs in gradual and sequential stages, such that the analysis of this repair process can be very useful in forensic investigations on human remains. The following study reports on a particular case where the remodeling of a tooth socket allowed an estimation of the time that had elapsed from the day of the surgical extraction of the tooth to the time of death. The corpse was that of a woman of 34 years. It was in an advanced state of decomposition, as it was largely skeletonized. Macroscopic, radiographic, and histological examinations of the oral cavity showed the initial stages of alveolar bone remodeling of the first left mandibular molar, which was characterized by: (i) a small reduction in the vertical height of the vestibular surface with respect to the theoretical original position of the tooth; (ii) resorption of the intra-alveolar septum and lamina dura; and (iii) formation of new immature bone, which covered the entire inner surface of the socket. This study established that the subject died 13-42days after the tooth extraction. Knowing the date of the dental extraction provided by the police investigation, it was possible to provide an estimate of the date of death.
authors.affiliation: University Museum, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Piazza Trento e Trieste 1, Chieti, Italy. Electronic address: joanviba@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Viciano
authors.affiliation: University Museum, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Piazza Trento e Trieste 1, Chieti, Italy; Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, 'G. d'Annunzio'University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Ruggero
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Anastasio
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, 'G. d'Annunzio'University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Ovidio
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, 'G. d'Annunzio'University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Costantini
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, 'G. d'Annunzio'University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carnevale
authors.affiliation: University Museum, 'G. d'Annunzio' University of Chieti-Pescara, Piazza Trento e Trieste 1, Chieti, Italy; Department of Medicine and Ageing Sciences, 'G. d'Annunzio'University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Capasso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000473:pathology*; D016723:Bone Remodeling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D020390:Tooth Socket / Q000473:pathology*; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: Alveolar bone remodeling; Alveolus; Date of death; Forensic investigation; Healing of extraction wound; Tooth extraction