Palatal Rugae Pattern as an Aid for Personal Identification: a Review

In forensic dentistry, the oral cavity plays an important role because of unique anatomy of teeth, ruage pattern and other oral structures. The palatine rugae have interested forensic odontologists not only because of their typical pattern of orientation but also usefulness as reference landmark in human identification. Due to its internal position, rugae pattern is not damaged by trauma; it can be recorded and photographed both in living or dead. The common methods used in forensic sciences for confirming the person's identity are fingerprint, DNA analysis and dental comparisons. In certain situations, where fingerprints' and teeth are lost due to any reason, the use of human palatal rugae has been suggested as an alternative method for human identification. The present review emphasizes the use of rugoscopy as a new dimension in forensic odontology.