ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Comparative dental analysis

Ok, imagine you have two toys that look really similar, like two blocks that are the same color and size. You want to figure out which one is yours and which one belongs to your friend. One way you can do this is by looking for special marks or scratches on your toy that your friend's toy doesn't have.

Dental analysis is kind of like that, but with teeth. Sometimes, when people or animals have the same color and size teeth, it can be hard to tell them apart. That's where dental experts come in. They look for special things about the teeth, like the shape, size, and location of certain parts. These special things help them figure out whose teeth belong to who.

They can also compare dental records from different times. Like, if you went to the dentist when you were little and you got a special filling in one of your teeth, your dental records would show that. Then, if you went to the dentist again when you were older, they could look at your teeth and see if that filling was still there. If it was, they would know it was still your tooth.

Comparative dental analysis can be really helpful for things like identifying people or animals from their teeth, or figuring out if a person's teeth have changed over time. It's kind of like being a detective, but for teeth!