Ever heard of Kerala's dental detectives? Here's how these doctors 'treat' various cases

It is a story from several years ago. A local mechanic in Thiruvananthapuram attempted to assault a minor girl living near his home. In a desperate act of self-defence, the girl bit him. When the case reached the police, the defence argued that the bite mark had been inflicted not by the girl, but by the man’s wife during a domestic dispute.

Seeking clarity, the police turned to a dental expert. Acting on a court directive, the doctor collected a dental mould from the suspect’s wife for comparison, but the marks did not match. However, when the bite marks were examined against a mould of the victim’s teeth, the match was undeniable. With clear scientific evidence disproving the defence’s claim, the court sentenced the man to 20 years in prison.

Sherlock Holmes, the master detective of crime fiction, once posed a curious question in a case involving a stolen horse. Despite a guard dog being present, the prized horse had been taken. After surveying the scene, Holmes asked: Did the dog bark during the night? When told the dog had remained silent, he identified this as the most crucial clue. It was the dog’s silence that ultimately solved the mystery.

Kerala's dental detectives
Kerala, too, has its own share of brilliant detectives.  Have you ever heard of a dental detective? These experts solve complex criminal cases by analysing teeth and bite marks. Dr S K Padmakumar, Head of the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology at the Government Dental College, Thiruvananthapuram, is one such specialist. He leads a highly specialised branch of science known as forensic odontology, a field that remains relatively unfamiliar to the general public.

The science of the `dental blueprint'
Forensic odontology is a rapidly evolving discipline in India that focuses on the analysis of teeth, bite marks and cranial structures. Much like fingerprints, bite marks are unique to each individual. By analysing these impressions, investigators can identify suspects with precision. Consider a homicide where bite marks are found on a victim’s body. The police submit a list of suspects to the Government Dental College. Dr Padmakumar’s team then collects dental moulds from these individuals and uses specialised software to compare them with the bite marks.

As Dr Padmakumar explains, every person’s dental alignment is distinct. This uniqueness allows experts to identify who inflicted the bite, often helping to unravel even the most complex murder cases. While forensic teams gather primary evidence, the dental analysis provides crucial corroborative support that strengthens the investigation. Dr Padmakumar credits his expertise to his mentor, Dr Ashith Acharya, a member of the Indian Forensic Odontology Expert Committee. Dr Acharya’s work was instrumental in solving the high-profile murder of a law student in Perumbavoor.

The victim’s body bore bite marks, and investigators suspected the involvement of a migrant worker. By comparing photographs of the bite marks with dental moulds using digital software, specific gaps in the perpetrator’s teeth became key evidence. This methodology was also employed in the Delhi Nirbhaya case. Several dental colleges in Kerala conduct preliminary forensic screenings, mainly to determine whether a wound is of human origin. However, a comprehensive analysis is carried out by only the team led by Dr Padmakumar.

Identifying Air India crash victims
Their expertise extends beyond criminal investigation to the identification of unclaimed bodies. Even in cases where bodies are severely charred, teeth often remain intact, serving as a permanent record. This was evident during the Air India crash in Gujarat, where forensic odontology played a crucial role in identifying victims. Though generally treated as corroborative evidence, dental impressions can sometimes become central to a case. Dr Padmakumar recalls an instance where bite marks helped save an innocent man.

A young woman had filed a complaint alleging that she had been abducted and assaulted by four men in a vehicle, one of whom she claimed to recognise. As proof of the struggle, she presented bite marks on her arm. However, inconsistencies in her testimony raised doubts among the investigators. To verify her claims, the police brought both the woman and the suspects in for forensic examination. Dr Padmakumar’s team collected dental moulds from all involved.

Surprisingly, the bite marks on her arm did not match any of the accused. This raised another critical question: who had bitten her? Acting on a hunch, the team took a dental mould of the woman herself. The marks matched perfectly. The wounds were self-inflicted. She had fabricated the story in an attempt to frame a young man who had refused to marry her. In a dramatic twist, a single set of bite marks saved an innocent life.

Dr Padmakumar began focusing on forensic odontology in 2010 and has since contributed crucial evidence in more than thirty major cases. He believes that if the potential of forensic odontology is more widely recognised across all branches of law enforcement, it could lead to significantly more effective and accurate criminal investigations.

Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is forensic odontology?
According to the Indian Dental Association, forensic odontology, or forensic dentistry, is an evolving field in the identification of dead individuals and in medico-legal matters. 

2. How can dental tissues be used in a crime investigation?
Dental tissues are used to identify the sex, age and ethnicity of suspects and victims. Dental patterns are unique to everyone.

3. How does forensic odontology work?
Forensic odontology's main tasks are:
a) Identifying individuals with post and ante-mortem dental records.
b) Identifying victims in mass disasters
c) Analysing bite marks in victims or objects
d) Estimating the ages of living or deceased individuals
e) Analysing dental DNA
f) Examining oral injuries in cases of abuse