how does a study of dentition help the anthropologist in identifying a body?

Dentition is generally accepted as the single best
indicator of age from birth to about age 25, and is also used in conjunction with other
physical attributes to determine age in bodies older than 25. Obviously being able to
determine the deceased's age would go a long way toward determining his or her
identity.

Differing dental patterns in various ethnic
groups have been widely studied; examining dentition could allow a forensic
anthropologist to make some solid conclusions as to the race or ethnicity of the body,
which could be helpful in identification.

Because bone,
unlike other bodily tissues, is not subject to continual reformation, an analysis of the
oxygen-18 isotope in the tooth enamel will match that of the area in the world where the
person was born. Archaeologists use this technique to study patterns of human and animal
migration, and forensic scientists use it to determine if a person was native to the
area where the body was found.