Lots of people wonder a lot of odd or quirky things about cremation services in Oakland, CA.

From the icky to the bizarre, its normal to have questions about cremation. Are you ready to satisfy your curiosity?

Here are the answers to some of the most common weird cremation questions.

1. Are the ashes really the person? Cremation ashes, sometimes called cremains, are the bits of bones leftover after the cremation process. So yes, the ashes really are the person. Every cremation provider has safety and identification protocols in place to ensure that the proper cremains are returned to the proper family, so you can rest assured the ashes you receive are the ashes of your lost loved one.
2. Do teeth burn during cremation? Teeth usually burn up during the cremation process. Tooth fragments that are not burnt up will be ground during the ash processing.
3. Do cremains have DNA? Cremains rarely hold enough DNA to be read during an analysis. The bone and teeth fragments left behind after the process are ground into a fine powder, making it almost impossible to extract viable DNA for testing.
4. Can you be cremated without a funeral? You can be cremated without a funeral service. This is called direct cremation. Your loved ones can always have a memorial service at a later date after the cremation if they or you so choose.
5. What is the most affordable way to be cremated? Whole-body donations, or donating the entire body to science, comes with a no-cost cremation, making it the most affordable way to be cremated.
6. Are bodies cremated in their caskets? Bodies will be removed from their caskets if the caskets are not suitable for cremation. But, if the casket is able to be cremated, the body will be cremated while still inside the casket.
7. Is cremation common? The National Funeral Directors Association states the current rate of cremation is about 56%, while traditional burial is 37%. In short, it is safe to say that cremation is the most common disposition method in the country.
8. Can you watch a cremation? Some cremation providers do allow the bereaved to view the cremation from a separate chamber. However, as the entire process takes several hours, most only allow the bereaved to view the body being placed into the cremation chamber.
9. Are bodies cremated with clothes on? Bodies are cremated in what they died in if they are cremated with direct cremation. If they’re cremated after a funeral, they will be cremated in the clothes they were placed in for the service.
10. Do bodies sit up during cremation? Because of the cremation chamber’s high heat, some bodies go into what’s called a pugilistic stance, meaning the elbows, knees, and fists clench from dehydration due to the extreme heat. The pugilistic stance may make the body appear shorter or stiffer, but it will not make the body sit up.

We are here to help if you have more questions about Oakland, CA cremation services. Please call or visit us today to learn about what we can do for you in your time of loss, preplanning, or curiosity.