Current Issues in Dental Identification in Severely Burned Bodies from a Studio Arson Attack in Japan

Abstract

A studio arson attack in Japan caused 36 deaths. Dentists obtained dental findings from 33 unidentified bodies immediately after the attack and autopsy. The dental findings before autopsy were obtained on the day of the incident and the next day. Dental findings after autopsy were obtained at 1 week from the day after the incident. We examined issues associated with collecting these dental findings. Other findings recorded were CT images, autopsy findings, and various blood and pathological examinations. Among the 33 unidentified bodies, for 30 bodies, the number of teeth from which the dental findings were obtained was significantly higher after autopsy than before autopsy. The dental findings of the remaining three bodies were not obtained before or after the autopsy. Five percent of anterior teeth and 28.7% of molars had differing pre-autopsy and post-autopsy findings. This discrepancy can be attributed to various factors. One of the major influencing factors was the carbonization of the facial surface muscles and skin along with limited mouth opening due to thermocoagulation. For the scientific identification of an individual based on dental findings, it is mandatory to examine the teeth in all quadrants. The collection of dental findings solely from anterior teeth may not be adequate to establish identity. The present article describes the challenges faced by the dentists while identifying charred bodies in an arson attack.