Forensic dentistry case book 1 : dentures used to convict suspect

Abstract

An elderly woman was brutally murdered while visiting her deceased husband's grave. At the post mortem it was noticed that her dentures were missing. It was first assumed the dentures had been lost during the violent attack. During the subsequent investigation, a set of dentures was found hanging in the room of one of the suspects. The investigating officer reported the dentures were displayed as a trophy, together with other artefacts. Initially this was noted in the police report, but disregarded as being of major significance. During follow-up investigations, the victim's daughter reported that she had a set of disused dentures belonging to her mother. She had taken her mother to the dentist to fetch her new dentures and had kept the old pair which her mother no longer used or wanted. Both pairs of dentures were brought to the Forensic Dental Section of the Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, University of Pretoria for analysis.