Enamel- a glossy ID: a Tool for Forensic Identification

The forensic importance of dental tissue has been well recognized because of the fact that tooth is the hardest of all human tissues and they can be preserved intact for a long period of time after death. Teeth are resistant to environmental assaults, such as incineration, immersion, trauma, mutilation and decomposition. Therefore teeth have been extensively used as a source of information in human identification, especially when the soft tissue cannot provide reliable information. Dental enamel has been of a great interest for the forensic odontoligist because of its high mineral content and its resistance to post- mortem changes. This article highlights the potential of enamel in personal identification, age estimation and gender determination with special emphasis on the importance of Striae of Retzius, Hunter-Schreger bands, Neonatal line, Amino acid racemization, and the AMEL gene in context to forensic science.