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Denture Marking

Definition

The technique of embedding a ante-mortem rugae record (cast or photograph) within a dental prosthesis so that the appliance can be matched to ante-mortem records in a mass-casualty or long-term identification scenario.

Related terms

Lysell Classification
A 1955 system using uppercase letters to encode rugae shapes: A (straight), B (curved), C (angled), D (sinuous), E (circular), F (irregular)....
Palatal Rugae
Irregular, asymmetric transverse ridges of dense fibrous connective tissue on the anterior hard palate, covered by keratinised mucosa and fixed in pattern...
Rugoscopy
The forensic and clinical practice of recording, classifying, and comparing palatal rugae patterns for personal identification. Also called palatoscopy in some literature.
Thomas-Kotze Classification
A widely adopted 1983 system that scores each ruga by length (primary >5mm, secondary 3-5mm, fragmentary <3mm) and shape (straight, curved, wavy,...
Uniqueness of Rugae
The empirical claim that the combined length, shape, position, and number of rugae constitute a pattern that does not repeat across individuals,...

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