On May 4, 1798, the fire at the Bazar de la Charité is considered the starting point of forensic dentistry in France. 121 people died, and five dentists were tasked with identifying the bodies. The body of Sophie-Charlotte, Duchess of Alençon, sister of Empress Sissi, was identified by her teeth. This was the first dental identification approved by the French courts, but was it truly a first? We will take a look back at this discipline from the Carolingian era to the present.