CARVALHO, Gilberto de Paiva de    MATOSO, Rodrigo Ivo. The forensic dentist and an unknown body. RGO, Rev. gaúch. odontol. (Online) []. 2010, 58, 3, pp. 405-409. ISSN 1981-8637.

A young adult disappeared and eight days later a similar body with the same clothes was found in advanced state of decomposition. It was not possible to recognize the body or to take fingerprints because of its state. Cadavers in advanced states of decomposition can be identified by dental elements when the conventional means of identification are not possible. For this purpose, it is essential to have access to data that were produced while the person was still alive, especially the dental records after a dental treatment. The objective of this paper is to show the importance of recording dental procedures which may eventually be used to identify cadavers and to present the work developed by a dental surgeon working as a forensic dentist. The dental surgeon must use any resource available to record his or her daily activities, since no matter how simple they are, they can elucidate a disappearance and alleviate the anguish of a family in distress.

: forensic anthropology; forensic dentistry; dental records.