Odontology contributes what identifiers?

• A. Skeletal morphological features
• B. Dental morphological features
• C. Genetic identifiers
• D. Radiographic age estimation

Answer: (B)

Dental morphology provides the distinctive identifiers used in forensic odontology for identifying individuals. Teeth have unique shapes and features—crown and root morphology, cusp patterns, grooves, fissures, enamel hypoplasia, wear facets, and even the history of dental work—that can set one person apart from another. Teeth also endure long after other tissues have decayed, making them highly reliable for identification in difficult conditions. Identification relies on comparing postmortem dental findings with ante-mortem records such as dental charts and radiographs; when these morphological traits and restorations align, a positive identification can be made. Other options relate to different areas—skeletal features are the focus of forensic anthropology, radiographic age estimation uses dental development to estimate age, and genetic identifiers involve DNA analysis, which is a separate line of evidence from dental morphology.