Dental prosthesis as silent witness: A forensic perspective

ABSTRACT Dental prostheses have long been recognized as valuable tools in forensic identification due to their durability, individuality, and resistance to environmental insults. Unlike natural dentition, prosthetic devices often bear distinctive morphological, material, and manufacturing features that can serve as reliable markers of identity. This review highlights the forensic significance of various prostheses, including removable dentures, fixed restorations, implant-supported devices, and orthodontic appliances, emphasizing their role in personal identification, disaster victim identification, and medico-legal investigations. Progress in digital dentistry and computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing fabrication, along with the incorporation of barcodes, micro-labelling, and radiofrequency identification technology into prostheses, has significantly improved their traceability and strengthened their value as forensic evidence. Nevertheless, challenges remain, including the lack of standardized labelling protocols, incomplete dental records, and medico-legal debates regarding admissibility compared to deoxyribonucleic acid profiling. Despite these limitations, dental prostheses continue to serve as “silent witnesses,” often providing critical leads where other methods fail. The review underscores the need for global standardization of prosthesis labelling and improved interdisciplinary collaboration between dental practitioners, forensic experts, and legal authorities to strengthen their application in forensic practice.