Oral Autobiography: A New Paradigm for Identification

Abstract

Identity is central to an individual’s personality and his/her existence. The face is synonymous with identity. Identity needs to be proven in daily life transactions for security reasons. Identity (be it of the victim or the suspect) is also a paramount investigative question for which the answer is not straightforward. The orofacial region is packed with individualistic information ready to be explored in different areas, such as disasters, crimes, civil matters, and access to property (biometrics). The orofacial structures offer diverse solutions to the common questions of identity. The choice of a specific technique is governed by the circumstances that call for identification and the advantages-disadvantages of the technique.

Keywords: Cheiloscopy, Dental identification, Dental profiling, DNA, Dental calculus, Denture marking, Otoscopy, Paranasal sinus, Rugoscopy, Saliva, Selfie identification, Smile line, Voice analysis.