Nucleic acid sample preparation from teeth/dental remains

Abstract

Teeth are a reliable source of DNA that have been used in archaeological, medical, and forensic studies to gain insight into the origins, migration, health, biogeographic ancestry, and identification of deceased individuals and populations. The unique structure of teeth provides enhanced protection to endogenous DNA from the combined effects of degradation and contamination but also introduces specific challenges to the sampling and extraction processes. In this chapter we review the structure and composition of teeth and discuss sampling and extraction processes to effectively utilize these tissues for subsequent genetic analyses.