Review

Volume 2023: Volume: 2: Issue: 4

Cheiloscopy- Different methods of identification

Chenchulakshmi G1,
1 Graduate Student, SRM Kattankulathur Dental College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Address for Correspondence:

Dr. Chenchulakshmi, Graduate Student.
Address: SRM Kattankulathur Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Email address: g.chenchulakshmi@gmail.com

Abstract

As we trend in the era of technological advancements and medical breakthroughs, the human race continues to
face stiff uphill challenges in the form of crimes & heinous activities which produce irreversible damage.
Nevertheless, the collateral effects of these negative activities create shattering effects on the lives of the
victims, family & friends. Though little can be done to repair the damage inflicted, the prosecution of the
perpetrator and the identification of the victim is essential.
It is in this juncture; the field of forensics comes into the picture. The forensic specialist plays a pivotal
role or a link in between the medical & legal fields, in identification of the victim & the perpetrator. Forensic
medicine primarily deals with establishing the time & cause of death while forensic dentistry is used to establish
the identity of the individual based on the dental records. Cheiloscopy is derived from the Greek word cheilos
– lip, and skopein—to observe. It is the terminology given to the study of lip print patterns. Lip prints are normal
lines and grooves present in the zone of transition of the human lip, between the labial mucosa and the skin.
The arrangement of the lip prints is unique to each individual just like the fingerprints. Research studies and
information regarding the use of lip prints as evidence for personal identification, although old are scanty. The
recording and analyzing of lip prints is also very easy, less tedious and non – expensive. This is in stark contrast
with DNA fingerprints where the processing is difficult and time consuming and needless to mention the cost
factor involved in the processing of lip prints.


Key words

Cheiloscopy; forensic identification; lip prints.

Financial support and sponsorship :

Nil

Conflicts of interest :

There are no conflicts of interest

How to cite this article: Chenchulakshmi G, Cheiloscopy- Different methods of identification. Int J Oral Rehab 2023;2:4:20-27.