Histological changes in the pulp tissue to determine the time of deat

Abstract

Introduction. The histological changes in the pulp after death provide relevant information to determine the post mortem period. Changes such as necrosis, degeneration of the odontoblasts, vascular congestion, etc. occur. These changes are influenced by environmental factors, making the teeth useful biological markers in forensic medicine. Objective. To determine the histological changes at the microscopic level that the pulp tissue undergoes in order to establish the period elapsed after death. Methodology. The research is a non-experimental qualitative approach, descriptive and cross-sectional, which aims to collect and analyze information from relevant bibliographic sources. The selection criteria include: age of the subjects studied (children and adults), publication period (2018-2024), languages (English and Spanish) and type of study (descriptive and systematic search of literature information). Results. The histological changes that are initiated with pulp necrosis give way to processes that, together with bacterial invasion, begin to degrade the tissue; this analysis in the forensic field helps to determine the time of death elapsed, the mineralization that the pulp undergoes helps to determine the age of the corpse. This also represents a tool in criminalistics for the investigation of crimes. Conclusion. The internal pulp tissue of the teeth undergoes histological changes that, when analyzed, are a valuable source of information that contributes to the practice of forensic medicine.