Over the years, crimes of different nature are rising up preceedently across the world and children being the most innocent and among the first ones to easily fall prey to miscreants and pedophiles. A number of cases of human trafficking, kidnapping, murders, and children abuse are increasingly being reported from the world. 

In the years 2005 and 2006, a case of mass murder, the Nithari Serial Murders, which shook the nation, came into limelight. This involved the murder of several children in and around the villages in Nithari, Uttar Pradesh, India; out of which 11 cases remain officially unsolved till date.

The statistics made available by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) of India reveals that the number of cases of child abuse, trafficking, and kidnapping registered in the country increased from 8904 in (2014)14913 in (2015). Apart from those cases that are re[ported. isolated events of child abuse or missing children, which are not registered, are also taking place in remote places of the country.

FORENSIC IDENTIFICATION 

In  this insecure world, it has become extremely difficult for parents to protect their children from lurking dangers. It might come as a surprise that a child s tooth may serve as an important clue for Forensic Identification ( technology to Identify  specific objects from the trace evidence often at a crime scene or the scene of an accident).

The latest developments in Forensic science reveal that dental evidence can serve as one of the most successful means of Forensic identification. cause of death or determination of sex may be refractory after catastrophic events, such as fire, high impact clashes, or explosions. Fragmentation or skeletonization of a human body calls for extraordinary measures for the determination of the cause and/ or manner of death.

Sex Chromatin ( a small condensed mass of the in activated X- Chromosome in the cells of mammalin females) plays a major role in forensic identification, but it will be notoriously difficult to detect the sex when a body is fragmented or skeletonized.

A tooth is the toughest tissue in the body and sometimes, it might be the only preserved remains available after a catastrophe for forensic Odontologist may depend a lot on the comparison of antemortem and postmortem dental records for Forensic identification.

The dental pulp, which is encased in hard tissues, serves as an important means of Forensic identification , as it most often survives the detrimental effects of trauma or fire. The Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) of the teeth of a fragmented or mutilated body can be effectively used for age estimation or to determine the sex of an individual through molecular analysis. 

since a pediatric Dentist usually encounters children on a regular basis in the clinic, he may play a crucial role in providing the requisite dental records for Forensic identification,if it becomes necessary.

Newer biochemical techniques like Radiocarbon Dating or carbon - 14 dating, Amino Acid Racemization Dating, Cementochronology, which are generally used for age estimation, can also be employed for Forensic identification.

TOOTH PRINTS

Tooth prints dental impressions can also be used efficaciously for Forensic identification. Dental impressions are usually taken using thermoplastic wafers, which are softened in warm water before making impressions. These impressions can be preserved in a dental office for Forensic identification, if it becomes necessary.

SERIAL NUMBER ENGRAVING ON THE TOOTH OF A CHILD 

This has recently become popular in the united states of America, which involves engraving on the tooth of a child using a metallic or non metallic material. This was first marketed by Trident Systems incorporated, a company in the United States of America. These engravings have different codes assigned for each individual just like a car has a number plate. This is extremely helpful in obtaining antemortem records of a deceased person.

CONCLUSION

A tooth can be an extremely useful tool for Forensic Identification as it might be the only preserved identification as it might be the only preserved remains available after a holocaust or disaster. A Forensic Odontologist can help a lot in identifying a dead body, especially when it is fragmented beyond recognition.