Manual of Forensic Odontology

Advances in forensic odontology have led to improvements in dental identification for individual cases as well as in disaster victim identification (DVI). New and updated technologies mean advances in bitemark analysis and age estimation. Growth in the field has strengthened missing persons’ networks leading to more and faster identifications of unidentified individuals.

A product of the American Society of Forensic Odontology, the Manual of Forensic Odontology, Fifth Edition provides comprehensive and up-to-date information involving all facets of forensic dentistry and explores critical issues relating to the scientific principles supporting the field’s evaluations and conclusions.

New information in the Fifth Edition includes

• Scientific principles and the need for more and better research in the field



• Oral and maxillofacial radiographic features of forensic interest



• Forensic pathology and its ties to forensic odontology



• New techniques and improved technologies for age estimation



• Advances in bitemark evidence management



• Animal bitemarks



• National and international forensic dental organizations



• Tips for becoming involved in forensic odontology

The manual has been an important source of forensic dentistry information for more than 20 years. This new edition is edited by a past president of the American Board of Forensic Odontology and a past Chair of the Odontology Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Expanded and enhanced with extensive color illustrations, this volume is designed to provide essential information based on sound scientific principles for experienced forensic odontologists and for those new to the discipline.

David R. Senn, D.D.S. is Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, (UTHSCSA) Dental School. He is the Director of the Center for Education and Research in Forensics, and the two-year Fellowship in Forensic Odontology. As a forensic odontologist with the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) he worked in victim recovery and dental identification in New York following the World Trade Center attacks, after the Shuttle Columbia disaster, and following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He is the Chief Forensic Odontologist for the Bexar County (Texas) Medical Examiner’s Office. Dr. Senn is a member of the Board of Governors for the American Society of Forensic Odontology, a Fellow in the Odontology Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) and is past- president (2009-2010) of the American Board of Forensic Odontology.

Richard A. Weems, D.M.D., M.S. is an Associate Professor at the UAB School of Dentistry and is director of Oral Radiology and the UAB Maxillofacial CBCT Imaging Center. In 1988, he became a forensic dental consultant to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (ADFS) and he also currently serves as the chief forensic dentist for the Jefferson County (Alabama) Chief Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office. Dr. Weems is the dental section leader of Region IV of the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) and participated in DMORT’s response to the World Trade Center disaster, Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Ike. In 2005, Dr. Weems received certification by the American Board of Forensic Odontology (ABFO). He is a Fellow in the Odontology Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) and served as the Odontology Section Chair from 2010-2012.