History of Odontology
Odontology has been used for forensic evidence for almost two thousand years. The first case was with Lollia Paulina, a Roman empress as the 3rd wife of Emperor Caligula. After Emperor' Caligula's death, Emperor Cladious took the throne along with his wife Agrippina. Agrippina started eliminating those that threatened her position; she charged Paulina with black magic and had her sent into exile in 66AD. Agrippina had her soldiers follow her to Italy and kill her and to bring back her head as evidence of her death. Agrippina was unable to identify the head her soldiers brought back and checked the front teeth instead, in which she found the exact same discoloured tooth that Paulina had. Thus marking the first use of odontology to identify human remains.
The first person in the United States to use odontology as a way to identify human remains was Paul Revere. Revere was a patriot during the American Revolution and identified fallen revolutionary soldiers. In patricular his friend Dr. Joseph Warren, who had died at the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17th 1775 during the Siege of Boston. During warfare soliders weren't given ceremonial burials but rather buried in mass graves. Such was the case with Dr. Joseph Warren. On March 17th 1776 following the departure of the British from Boston, Paul went to the battle site in which his friend had fallen ten months previously. He was able to identify his friend because he had placed a false tooth in his mouth during his time working as a dentist and recognized the specific wire he used to fasten it.
The first case of forensic odontology in North America was the criminal case of Wayne Clifford Boden, who had the nickname "The Vampire Rapist" due to the fact that he bit his breasts of his victim's. His modus operandi (method of operation) was what eventually led to conviction due to forensic odonotological evidence. Wayne Clifford Boden was a Canadian serial killer and an active rapist between 1969 and 1971 before his conviction on February 16th, 1972
Another famous case involving forensic Odontology is the case of Ted Bundy. A serial killer who bit his victims, Odontologist Dr.Souviron testified that the bite marks found on the vicitm Lisa Levy's body showed unique indentations, he then show a full-scale picture of Bundy's teeth. They matched perfectly proving that Ted Bundy was the perpetrator.
The first person in the United States to use odontology as a way to identify human remains was Paul Revere. Revere was a patriot during the American Revolution and identified fallen revolutionary soldiers. In patricular his friend Dr. Joseph Warren, who had died at the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17th 1775 during the Siege of Boston. During warfare soliders weren't given ceremonial burials but rather buried in mass graves. Such was the case with Dr. Joseph Warren. On March 17th 1776 following the departure of the British from Boston, Paul went to the battle site in which his friend had fallen ten months previously. He was able to identify his friend because he had placed a false tooth in his mouth during his time working as a dentist and recognized the specific wire he used to fasten it.
The first case of forensic odontology in North America was the criminal case of Wayne Clifford Boden, who had the nickname "The Vampire Rapist" due to the fact that he bit his breasts of his victim's. His modus operandi (method of operation) was what eventually led to conviction due to forensic odonotological evidence. Wayne Clifford Boden was a Canadian serial killer and an active rapist between 1969 and 1971 before his conviction on February 16th, 1972
Another famous case involving forensic Odontology is the case of Ted Bundy. A serial killer who bit his victims, Odontologist Dr.Souviron testified that the bite marks found on the vicitm Lisa Levy's body showed unique indentations, he then show a full-scale picture of Bundy's teeth. They matched perfectly proving that Ted Bundy was the perpetrator.