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Emilio Aguinaldo college
Individual Evidence
• Bite marks, like fingerprints, are unique and a forensic dentist
will be able to make a cast or take pictures of the bite marks
•
Forensic dentists use several different
terms to describe the type of bite mark:
• Abrasion - a scrape on the skin
• Artifact - when a piece of the body, such as an ear lobe, is
removed through biting
• Avulsion - a bite resulting in the removal of skin
• Contusion - a bruise
• Hemorrhage - a profusely bleeding bite
• Incision - a clean, neat wound
• Laceration - a puncture wound
Types of Bites
• A clear impression means that there was significant pressure;
• obvious bite signifies medium pressure
• noticeable impression means that the biter used violent
pressure to bite down.
Clear, obvious, noticeable
•
Characteristics
• A human bite mark will often be elliptical or circular and will
display the specific characteristics of the teeth
Food can be evidence
• Comparing the
Bite patterns on food
Measurements
Matching mold to bite mark
Analysis of Bite Mark
Class Characteristics
• Shape of the mouth arch
• Tooth alignment, thickness,width and spacing
• Missing teeth
• Other unique features
Terminology
• Positive identification-exact match
• Possible identification-consistencies exist, but not enough to
make an exact match
• Insufficient evidence-not enough evidence
• Exclusion-do NOT match
Becoming a Forensic Dentist
• In the United States, many forensic dentists are certified by the
American Board of Forensic Odontology. There is a long list of
qualifications to obtain this certification, including:
• Complete coursework at an approved school such as the
Armed Forces Institute of Pathology or the School of Dentistry
at the University of Texas at San Antonio
• Be present and participate in meetings of national organizations
related to forensics or forensic dentistry
• Work with a coroner, medical examiner's office or law
enforcement for at least two years
• Work on at least 25 forensic dental cases, including 15 positive
identification cases and two bite-mark cases
Part 1: Make an Impression
1 – Fold the Styrofoam plate in half. Maxilla
2 – Label one side MAXILLA and the other MANDIBLE.
Mandible
3 – Gently bite down on the plate to leave your bite mark
impression.
Maxilla
4 – Place a sheet of the plastic film over the impression and
use a permanent marker to recreate the pattern to match
that of your bite mark.
5 – Use a ruler to make the measurements shown and Mandible
record in the table below along with any notes regarding
unique characteristics you observe in the teeth.
Width
Depth
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