The Kaiser's tooth.

The recovery of DNA from teeth is usually associated with the destruction of the evidential tooth using, for instance a special grinding mill. In some cases, however, a minimal invasive method of DNA retrieval with a high recovery is required particularly when historical material has to be investigated. A tooth attributed to the German Emperor Wilhelm II was the only source of DNA in an analysis of a possible paternity and the DNA had to be extracted without destroying the appearance of the tooth.

Post-mortem orthopantomography--an aid in screening for identification purposes.

Ante-mortem orthopantomograms may be of great value in the identification of human remains. This x-ray technique provides an overall view of the teeth and jaws and thus of numerous individual structural characteristics within a short time. Standardised post-mortem orthopantomography has previously not been feasible in the forensic practice.

[Experimental and finite-element models for the assessment of mandibular deformation under mechanical loading].

Biomechanical investigations of the mandible are difficult to perform due to a variety of conditions involved. For the appropriate reconstruction of biomechanical properties, a geometrically correct body model has to be established which fits to complex in vivo conditions. The aim of our study was to evaluate the use of finite-element models (FEM) for the assessment of mandibular deformation under mechanical loading.

Manipulated radiographic material--capability and risk for the forensic consultant?

As interest is being increasingly focused on the digital processing of radiographs for identification of the deceased, the benefits and risks of electronic image processing are presented. With digitization of all kinds of radiographic equipment being on the increase and image processing personal computers being readily accessible, increasing quantities of manipulated radiographic material are to be expected in the future. This potential risk is meanwhile highlighted from the legal aspect.