07:17 AM CST on Monday, December 6, 2004
Dental X-rays help with identification, but only when teeth have special characteristics, such as unusual anatomy, fillings, crowns, root canals, or implants.
But some children today have a blank dental chart because they've had no decay. That's the main reason why dentists created a new method to take a toothprint.
Like fingerprints, toothprints are unique. "It would give parents more peace of mind that they would have that extra evidence if something happens to their child," said Dr. Chad Perry, a Plano dentist.
Perry offers toothprints free to his patients. The special impression material picks up all features of young teeth, including imprints of sealants.
The technique also provides DNA through cells shed by the cheek in the saliva. "We have a small safe, so we're going to store the toothprints along with fingerprints and a current picture," Perry said.
Pam Gonzales had her 6-year-old son Blake toothprinted. "We'd had them fingerprinted several years ago," she said. "That gave us some sense of security."
Dental identification is something you hope to never use, but toothprints may give parents some assurance until their young children grow up.
