In simple terms, intellectual property is a product of the human intellect that has commercial value. Intellectual property encompasses a wide range of creations—from fiction, poetry, songs, designs and artwork to ads, product names, mechanical inventions, processes, chemical formulas, machines and software. The commercial value of intellectual property comes from the ability of its owner to control its use. If the owner could not legally require payment in exchange for use, ownership of the intellectual property would have intellectual worth but no commercial value.

The identification of unknown individuals and the estimation of age, race, and gender are among the chief functions of forensic dentistry. Other important applications include the investigation and analysis of bitemarks and oral injuries in abuse cases and evaluating, reporting, and testifying in civil litigation cases. Twelve years after the benchmark first edition of this book explored these topics, the long-awaited Forensic Dentistry, Second Edition offers a comprehensive update and revision of the material. Offering insight from many new contributors on the cutting edge of forensic science and odontology, this new edition expands the book’s scope to include a broader historical and theoretical analysis, a thorough assessment of the past decade’s developments, and a far-reaching projection of future trends.