Dr. Jayakrishnan Pillai, a lecturer in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology at Government Dental College and Hospital, Ahmedabad, has conducted extensive research on dental morphology across India, contributing to forensic science and anthropology.
His doctoral research, completed at National Forensic Sciences University, Gujarat, involved the analysis of 2,23,650 teeth from 7,455 dental models collected across 23 states, building a great database for Indian dental scenario.
The research required:
Travel of approximately 37,000–38,000 kilometres
Data collection over 91 cumulative days
Collaboration with multiple dental institutions across India
The dataset represents one of the largest collections of dental morphological data in the Indian population which we lack compared to our western counterparts.
Dental morphology refers to the study of the size, shape, and structural traits of teeth. These traits are influenced by genetic and environmental factors and can vary across populations.
The study focused on non-metric dental crown traits which are:
Qualitative features (e.g., cusp patterns, grooves)
Not measured numerically but recorded based on presence or absence
Such traits are widely used in:
Dental anthropology
Population studies
Forensic identification
Dr. Pillai’s work is expected to support India in understanding genetic diversity, population patterns, and how dental traits vary across different geographical regions, aiding both scientific research and forensic identification.
Dental characteristics are considered highly reliable in forensic science due to:
Durability of teeth under extreme conditions
Resistance to decomposition and environmental damage
Dr. Pillai’s research demonstrates that dental traits can:
Help determine ancestry and population affinity
Assist in identifying unknown individuals
Complement DNA and skeletal analysis in forensic cases
This is particularly relevant in mass disasters or cases involving severely damaged remains, criminal investigations and anthropological research.
Dr. Pillai volunteered to perform the dental identification of the charred victims of the AI 171 plane crash in Ahmedabad on 12th June 2025.
With the help of the institute and dental students, he collected the Postmortem dental data of some of the victims and also helped the Forensic Medical team by extracting the unburnt molar tooth for DNA analysis which resulted in identifying victims.
Teeth are often used in such cases because they preserve DNA even when other tissues are damaged.
The large-scale study conducted by Dr. Jayakrishnan Pillai highlights the scientific and forensic importance of dental morphology. By building a comprehensive dataset across India, the research strengthens the role of forensic odontology in human identification and population studies.
(Rh)