Role of dentomaxillofacial radiology in forensic dentistry

Table 1 Features of different imaging techniques utilized in forensic odontology

Radiological technique	Forensic odontology and anthropology	Advantages	Disadvantages	Radiation dose
Periapical intraoral imaging	Individual identification by using shape, size and placement of restoration	Low radiation exposure	Only a small area is covered. Projection geometry errors	1-8 μSv
Panoramic imaging	Individual identification (using antemortem and postmortem panoramic). Age determination in young adults from dentition and its eruption sequence	Regular dental identification is possible	Distortion, magnification and overlapping of teeth. Only two-dimensional. No information in the 3rd dimension	4-30 μSv
Cone-beam CT	Generated panoramic image without distortion	Accurate, single tooth evaluation and panoramic image skull volumes	Metallic artifact	19-368 μSv
Multislice CT - medical CT	Skeletal findings examination	Digital autopsy	Three-dimensional virtual models	Lower jaw 1320 μSv upper jaw 1400 μSv bimaxillary 2100 μSv
Magnetic resonance imaging	Valuable supplement to postmortem CT for the detection of wound channel and soft tissue injuries	Evaluation of soft tissue injuries	Metal alloy artifacts	No ionizing radiation

CT: Computed tomography.