Dentist Prof. Dr. Andreas Olze, owner of the dental practice Prof. Dr. Andreas Olze and colleagues in Berlin Mitte, supports forensic medicine, police and judicial authorities with his expertise: As a forensic dentist, he helps with age estimation and identification of unknown deceased persons as well as age estimation of persons in criminal proceedings. In this interview, he gives an insight into this exciting work and talks about a case that particularly touched him.

Professor Olze, how did you become a forensic dentist?

That came about by chance. My former boss in the Department of Conservative Dentistry at the Charité, Professor Zuhrt, had been working on identification issues for the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Charité since a plane crash in the 1970s.
My work began when my boss was on vacation in the summer of 1995. That summer was very turbulent. My first body was an unknown dead man who had been lying in his apartment for about 14 weeks in summer temperatures. Then there were also five Vietnamese people who had been murdered in gang-related disputes.
Later, from around 1997, the number of expert reports commissioned in the context of age assessment procedures for living persons in criminal proceedings also rose sharply.

What are the challenges you face as a forensic dentist?

You have to have a certain amount of mental strength, be "body-solid" and be able to withstand and process visual and olfactory impressions. When estimating the age of living persons in civil and criminal proceedings, emotional stress must be endured and processed. In addition, above-average accuracy is required in all areas.
When estimating the age and identifying unknown deceased persons, the slightest deviations in the findings lead to the - unjustified - exclusion of identity, while inaccurate measurement results lead to considerable misjudgements regarding the presumed age. This would also make positive identification more difficult.
When estimating the age of persons in criminal proceedings, deviations in the measured values quickly lead to a finding of non-existent criminal responsibility or the applicability of adult criminal law. This can quickly lead to longer prison sentences for those affected.

How does a typical case proceed? Are there any typical cases at all?

There is actually no such thing as a typical case. However, the identification of unknown dead bodies always involves the collection of post-mortem dental findings. If the corpse in question shows extensive post-mortem changes, the jaws usually have to be removed, i.e. separated.
The judge responsible decides on the methods to be used, such as X-rays or MRI, when estimating the age of a living person. In particular, the stage of development of the wisdom teeth allows conclusions to be drawn about the age reached.

Is there a particular case that sticks in your mind?

I particularly remember the case of Kristina Hani, who, at the age of fourteen, was killed by a drug dealer, put in a suitcase, doused with gasoline and then set on fire.

How often are you requested by forensic medicine?

In the meantime, I have greatly reduced my involvement in forensic medicine and still work a few times a year on the identification of unknown deceased persons. Previously, I prepared around 100-120 expert reports a year on the age estimation of living persons alone.

Who do you work with for clarification?

First and foremost with the forensic pathologist performing the autopsy, but of course also with the police and the judicial authorities.

What does the term "dental fingerprinting" mean?

What can you find out about a person from their teeth? (Age, gender, habits, ...)?
Within certain limits, the age. In addition, certain conclusions can be drawn about dietary habits. The type and extent of dental care detected allow conclusions to be drawn about social status and sometimes also about the region of origin.