Accuracy in identification of implant treated patients by use of intraoral radiographs.

This study aimed at investigating the accuracy of seven forensic odontologists (FO) and seven police officers (PO) in determining person identity using comparable intraoral radiographs from implant treated patients, and evaluating the different characteristics used for identification. The investigation was based on 34 edentulous patients, from 26 of whom a matched pair of radiographs was constructed in such a way that one, taken after insertion of an implant supported prosthesis in the anterior part of the mandible, was regarded as the antemortem radiograph, while another picture from a later follow-up examination served as the postmortem x-ray. From each of the remaining eight patients similar radiographs were selected so that four antemortem and four postmortem ones were obtained. These eight radiographs were also paired but did not match. There were thus 30 pairs of radiographs. A classification of the 26 matched pairs regarding degree of ease (easy, moderate, difficult) in combining the radiographs, using as parameters the design of the implants, shape of the abutments, shape of the bridges and bony anatomy of the jaws was established. The total number of errors made by the FO were higher (26) than those made by the PO (18) (one PO combined all 26 matching radiographs correctly) and 12 of the 26 matchable cases were correctly paired by all observers. The design of the fixed prostheses was the most often used characteristic in the exercise.