Journal Published Online: 01 September 1991
Volume 36, Issue 5

Rates of Putrefaction of Dental Pulp in the Northwest Coast Environment

CODEN: JFSCAS

Abstract

Cytological stability is of interest to criminal investigators in instances where remnants of soft tissue have been preserved, since such tissue can aid in the identification of human remains, helping to determine either the sex of the individual or his or her identity. This study based on seven experiments shows that, in Northwest coast outdoor environments in both summer (three experiments) and winter (three experiments), the stability of dental pulp nuclei ranges from 4 days to 2 weeks. The seventh experiment serves to describe the morphological sequence observed in nuclear putrefaction. The specimens included human and pig extracted teeth and unextracted pig teeth. Deposition of the specimens was made both on the surface and in the subsurface (30-cm depth), and the environmental variables were recorded.

Author Information

Duffy, JB
Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Skinner, MF
Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Waterfield, JD
Faculty of Oral Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Pages: 11
Price: $25.00
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Stock #: JFS13169J
ISSN: 0022-1198
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13169J