Evaluation of elements in human dental tissue for determination of postmortem interval

AİM: After death, chemical and physical changes occur in the human body due to the decomposition process, and these changes are used in the estimation of the postmortem interval. Despite many methods used, there is not yet a method that determines the postmortem interval exactly. For this reason, new studies are needed to determine the postmortem interval. With the studies carried out; It is aimed to find methods that will clearly show the time of death or provide the most accurate postmortem interval estimation. Since the tooth is more protected than other tissues due to its anatomical localization, robust and isolated structure, it is a tissue that may be suitable for obtaining accurate and long-term results in the estimation of the postmortem interval. In our study; we aimed to evaluate the postmortem increase-decrease-changes of some elements in the human tooth and to determine their usability in estimating the time of death. MATERİALS-METHODS: The 3rd teeth which were extracted from the patients who applied to the Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and maxillofacial Surgery Polyclinic, were collected. The teeth were covered with animal-striped muscle tissue in a hard plaster in a jaw-like plastic model and left to decay in the open air. The samples were divided into 6 groups, 10 samples in each group, at 0 hour after extraction (control group), 1st month, 3rd month, 6th month, 9th month, 12th month. At the end of the process, the teeth of 6 groups were subjected to grinding, grinding and acid melting processes and by using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) analysis method, the elements of Na, Mg, P, Ca, Fe, Mn, Co, Zn, Cd, Pb, Si were determined measurements were made. RESULTS: In our study, statistically significant changes were found in Na, Mg, Fe, Co, Pb, Si elements. In particular, it was determined that the increase in Co element between groups was remarkably regular and did not fluctuate in any group. Na element decreased regularly after the 1st month peak. It was observed that the increase of Fe element in the 1st month was higher than in the 3rd month, but it increased regularly. Pb and Si elements increased regularly in the 3rd month compared to the 6th month, except for the excessive increase. CONCLUSİON: For Co and Na elements, 2 regression equations were obtained to enable us to estimate the postmortem interval from the concentration. Changes seen in postmortem dental tissue elements should be studied with larger sample groups, different decay environments, longer time and more element analysis, and compared with other postmortem interval estimation methods. Keywords: Forensic Medicine, Postmortem Interval, Element Analysis