DeBarsh A law exists that requires dental laboratories to inscribe names into dentures. And although the identification of an edentulous mouth might be harder to do, the availability of bone patterns in antemortem and postmortem x-rays makes the identification of toothless individuals possible. Yes, teeth will be destroyed by heat if the temperatures are high enough. The teeth are protected by the soft tissue of cheeks, lips and tongue. Materials used for dental restoration are also resistant to destruction.
Materials used for dental restoration are also resistant to destruction.
Fillings generally can withstand high temperatures exceeding 1600F. I always watch those Forensic Detective shows on cable. In that particular case, the forensic odontologist found it particularly difficult to work because the bodies were stacked one on top of another, leading to co-mingling remains. Dentists and anthropologists worked long and hard hours to bring closure for the families. In most cases, the teeth remained positioned in the jaw, which made the portion of the identification easier then working on mass disasters in which not only are the remains co-mingled, bat jaws can be fractured and teeth avulsed. As evidenced by exhumed, mummified bodies, bones and teeth are extremely resistant to decomposition.