Forensic odontology is defined by the World Dental Federation (FDI) as: “A branch of dentistry that deals with the proper handling and examination of dental evidence and with the proper evaluation and presentations of the dental findings in the interest of justice”. Forensic odontology is the application of dental knowledge in implementing the legal justice system. Its

study and practice encompasses the basic dental science, the changes and traumatic injuries on teeth (including the surrounding tissues) during and after life, the changes on objects when subjected to the dental force and also investigation into fraud or dentolegal cases involving the practising dental surgeons. Dental identification is one of the primary identifiers as per the INTERPOL guidelines for the identification of unknown individuals. Forensic dentists may also be asked to assist in determining age, race, occupation, previous dental history and socioeconomic status of unidentified human beings. They play an integral part in the identification and age estimation during mass disasters such as earthquake, tsunamis and aviation disasters. Forensic Odontologist can also assist in the bite mark analysis during criminal investigations.

Forensic Odontology is an emerging speciality in Pakistan and Shifa College of Dentistry is among few dental institutes in the country which has established the department of Forensic Odontology to introduce this speciality both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

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Facilities / Services

• Disaster Victim Identification (DVI)
• DNA analysis from dental tissue and saliva
• Determining legal significance of dento-maxillofacial trauma
• Investigation and interpretation of bite marks and lip prints
• Dental identification and profiling
• Age estimation of fetus, children, juveniles and adults
• Three-dimensional (3D) image analysis of dental structures.
• Advance research using 3D imaging modalities
• Sex and race determination of an unknown body
• Investigation of dental fraud or malpractise.

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Publications:

1. Ng Heng Khiang The, Saritha Sivarajan, Muhammad Khan Asif, Norliza Ibrahim, Chek Mang Wey. Distribution of mandibular trabeculae bone volume fraction in relation to different MOP intervals for accelerating orthodontic tooth movement: A randomized controlled trial. The Angle Orthodontist. 2020 90 (6): 774–782.

2. Muhammad Khan Asif, Norliza Ibrahim, Saritha Sivarajan, Ng Heng Khiang Teh, Mang Chek Wey. Osseous evidence behind micro-osteoperforation technique in accelerating orthodontic tooth movement: A 3-month study. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajodo.2019.09.022

3. Nambiar P, John J, Asif MK, Ibrahim N. Significance of an Unusual Notching on an Incisal Margin in a Bite Mark Investigation. Anil Aggarwal’s Internet Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology [serial online], 2020; Vol. 21, No. 2

4. M.K. Asif, N. Ibrahim, S.M. Al-Amery, A.M.A. Muhammad, A.A. Khan, P. Nambiar, A novel method of age estimation in children using three-dimensional surface area analyses of maxillary canine apices, Legal Medicine. 44 (2020) 101690.

5. A.M.A. Muhammad, N. Ibrahim, R. Ahmad, M.K. Asif, Z. Radzi, Z.M. Zaini, H.R.A. Razak, Effect of reconstruction parameters on cone beam CT trabecular bone microstructure quantification in sheep, BMC Oral Health. 20(1) (2020) 48.

6. Tipu Sultan, Chia Wei Cheah, Norliza Binti Ibrahim, Muhammad Khan sif, Rathna Devi Vaithilingam, Three-dimensional assessment of the extraction sockets, augmented with Platelet-Rich Fibrin and Calcium Sulfate: A clinical pilot study, Journal of Dentistry,
2020, 103455.

7. M.k. Asif, P. Nambiar, Iqra Muhammad Khan, Zeti Adura Binti Che Ab Aziz, Nora Sakina Binti MohdNoor, Palasuntharam Shan muhasuntharam, Norliza Ibrahim. Enhancing the three-dimensional visualization of a foreign object using Mimics software. Radiology Case Reports Volume 14, Issue 12, December 2019, Pages 1545-1549.

8. M.K. Asif, P. Nambiar, N. Ibrahim, S.M. Al-Amery, I.M. Khan, Three-dimensional image analysis of developing mandibular third molars apices for age estimation: a study using CBCT data enhanced with Mimics & 3-Matics software, Legal medicine (Tokyo, Japan). 39 (2019) 9–14.

9. Muhammad Khan Asif, Norliza Ibrahim, Samah M. Al-Amery, Jacob John, Phrabhakaran Nambiara. Juvenile versus Adult: A New Approach for Age Estimation from 3- Dimensional Analyses of the Mandibular Third Molar Apices. Journal of Forensic Radiology and Imaging 19 (2019) 100347.

10. Norliza Ibrahim, Tameem Khuder, Farishah Nur Binti Abd Samad, Syahira Binti Tuan Baharom, Muhammad Khan Asif, Rohana Ahmad, Norsiah Yunus, Samah Mohammed AL-Amery. Assessment of Anatomical Position of Posterior Teeth and Alveolar Bone Height in Malaysian Population Based on Panoramic Radiographs. Journal of Research in Medical and Dental Science (2019) Volume 7, Issue 5.

11. M.K. Asif, P. Nambiar, S.A. Mani, N.B. Ibrahim, I.M. Khan, N.B. Lokman, Dental age estimation in Malaysian adults based on volumetric analysis of pulp/tooth ratio using CBCT data, Legal medicine (Tokyo, Japan). 36 (2019) 50-58.

12. Safar Sumit Bunyarit, Jayakumar Jayaraman, Murali K. Naidu, Rozaida Poh Yuen Ying, Phrabhakaran Nambiar, Muhammad Khan Asif. Dental age estimation of Malaysian Chinese children and adolescents: Chaillet and Demirjian’s method revisited using artificial multilayer perceptron neural network. Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences. 2019: doi.org/10.1080/00450618.2019.1567810.

13. Asif MK, Nambiar P, Mani SA, Ibrahim NB, Khan IM, Sukumaran P. Dental age estimation employing CBCT scans enhanced with Mimics software: Comparison of two different approaches using pulp/tooth volumetric analysis. J Forensic Leg Med. 2018; 54:53-61.

14. K K Koh, J S Tan, P Nambiar, Norliza Ibrahim, Sunil Mutalik, Muhammad Khan Asif. Age estimation from structural changes of teeth and buccal alveolar bone level. J Forensic Leg Med 2017; 48:15-21.

15. Meng Wei Tai, Zhen Feng Chong, Muhammad Khan Asif, Rabiah A Rahmat, Phrabhakaran Nambiar. A comparative study between xerographic, computer-assisted overlay generation and animated-superimposition methods in bite mark analyses. Leg Med 2016; 22:42-48.

16. Norliza I, MK Asif, Saritha S, NG Heng Khiang T, MC Wey. Authors response. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2021;159:c83.

17. Wilson YP, Nambiar P, Yaacob H, Asif MK. Age estimation from developing third molars. Medico-Legal Journal. November 2021. doi:10.1177/00258172211052930