Artifact when a piece of the body, such as an ear lobe, is removed through biting. The discipline has recently received considerable attention in the media and in scientific realms. Forensic odontology is an evolving science and has a greater scope of development. Forensic odontology information guide forensic science. Odontologists, or forensic dentists, are most often brought in to help to identify victims. The analysis of human bite marks is by far the most challenging and detailed part of forensic dentistry. It is a photo macro graphic ruler designed to optimize the ability to reconstruct a bite mark. It can be used in mass disaster events to help identify the dead.
Person identification is important in criminology, and forensic odontologists are key personnel for identifying a highly individual dentition which could cause a. The most famous bite mark case in the us, and perhaps the world, is that of serial killer ted bundy. Then, approximately 100 years later human bite marks were permitted in court for identifying a biting assailant james, nordby. Bite mark comparison, or matching or identification, is by no means the whole discipline of forensic odontology. The britishassociation for forensicodontology bafo notes that forensic odontology is a branch of forensic medicine which in the interests of justice deals with the proper examination, handling and presentation of dental evidence in a court of law. The transient nature of bite marks in the living and in perishable substances means that the investigation team needs to respond quickly and understand the basic requirements of the forensic. Bitemark analysis bitemark analysis is just one part of the forensic puzzle. The definition for establishing a patterned injury as a bitemark which offers the most complete description follows. Results of specific examinations such as fractures, pocketing, etc. In 1975, walter marx was convicted of murdering a woman after his dental records and bite marks were compared to those found on the womans nose. Bite marks are an important and sometimes controversial aspect of forensic odontology. It has established as an indispensable science in medicolegal matters and in the identification of the dead person. A novel computerassisted method of bite mark analysis for gender. Introductionforensic odontology is the application ofdentistry in.
In addition to eyewitness testimony, the prosecution presented a forensic odontologist who testified that bite marks on the victim matched jacksons teeth. The scope of forensic odontology is wide and includes the identification of victims of transport accidents, gunshotheavy artillery, and incineration in vehicles and house fires. Odontologists forensic dentists are highly experienced, specially trained dentists who help to identify unknown remains and bite marks to a specific individual. Just days after jackson was convicted in 1989, his brother confessed to the crime but was not charged. If an investigator sees something on a victim that even resembles a bite, the forensic dentist must be called in immediately, because bite marks change significantly over time. Bite mark, forensic, salivary dna, dentition, suspect introduction. Bite marks should be suspected when ecchymoses, abrasions, or lacerations are found in an elliptical or ovoid pattern bite marks may have a central area of ecchymoses the pattern, size, contour, and color of the bite mark should be evaluated by. Evidence collection from bite suspect clinical examination an anylists will closely examine the intraoral and the extraoral structures of the bite suspects mouth. Bite mark analysis and comparison is a complicated matter. The other type of evidence is that of bite marks, left on either the victim by the attacker, the perpetrator from the victim of an attack, or on an object found at the crime scene. About bite mark evidence forensic odontology wrongful. According to the national research council of the national academies of science, forensic odontology is typically presented for four reasons in american courtrooms. The scientific premise regarding bite mark analysis is. Any curved bruise should be treated as suspicious and the sevices of a forensic odontologist sought early in the investigation.
New technologies about bitemarks a potent tool in forensic dentistry. Forensicdentistryonline trusted odontology for over 15 years. Forensic odontology, or forensic dentistry, is a branch of forensic science dealing with the application of any dental information usable in the court of law. Bite marks as evidence evidence with available legal citation was the 1954 case of doyle v. Forensic odontology an overview sciencedirect topics. In life or death situations, teeth are often used as a weapon. In the courtroom, forensic odontology is predominantly in the form of bite mark evidence. The advancement of science and technology in the application of forensic dentistry has greatly advanced within the past 50 years. Forensic odontology is derived from latin, meaning a forum or where legal matters are discussed. During the course of the year, the forensic odontology section conducts individual and group training in dental autopsy techniques and bite mark analysis. Forensic odontology is a branch of forensic medicine and, in the interests of justice, deals with the proper examination, handling, and presentation of dental evidence in a court of law. Forensic odontology forensic medicine that deals with teeth and marks left by teeth identifying criminal or remains of deceased person proper handling, examination and evaluation of dental evidence, which will be presented for the intent of justice. Bite mark evidence, an aspect of forensic odontology, is the process by which odontologists dentists attempt to match marks found at crime scenes with the dental impressions of suspects.
Both men were only consulted when sheriff katsaris, desperate to find some kind of physical proof of bundys involvement in the crime, discovered the bite marks on one of the sorority victims. The american board of forensic odontology conducted a reliability study of the judgments of experienced, boardcertified. What the paper actually addresses is the very real problem of bite mark comparison, or matching, for purposes of suspect identification. Despite the overturned convictions and unreliable method, a forensic dentist has never been decertified and there has only been one member of the american board of forensic odontology that was suspended. Bite marks may be found on the flesh of victims of a violent attack, particularly on the stomach or buttocks. Bite mark evidence deemed unreliable innocence project.
Forensic odontology refers to the presentation of the field of dentistry in a legal setting. Bite mark evidence has been introduced in trials all over the country, and sometimes has been the smoking gun leading to a conviction. Forensic dentistry crime solving affiliated dentists s. Sixteen years later, jackson was released based on dna test results. The work of a forensic odontologist covers the following. The report finds there is continuing dispute over the value and scientific validity of comparing and identifying bite marks. The course of study is founded on the standards and guidelines established by the american board of forensic odontology in the endeavors of human identification, distinguishing bite marks from humans and animals, dental age estimation, missing and unidentified persons, and mass fatality incident dental identification team development. Forensic odontology has been with us as admissible evidence in the united states since 1849 which is nearly 50 years longer than fingerprints. Original and aggregated content about forensic dentistry and odontology. Bite marks as evidence in criminal trials micheile mccluret introduction on june 21, 1978, in wood river, illinois, a beautiful 22year old woman was brutally murdered in the basement of her new home. Forensic dentists use several different terms to describe the type of bite mark. A bite mark is known as the registration of the cutting edges of teeth on a substance caused by a jaw closing. The first recorded mass disaster to use odontology was the vienna opera house fire in 1849. Marks are frequently seen on the victims of assault including child abuse but not recognised as bites.
Bite mark evidence is the poster child of unreliable forensic science, said chris fabricant, director of strategic litigation at the new yorkbased innocence project, which helps wrongfully convicted inmates win freedom through dna testing. Bitemark analysis howstuffworks science howstuffworks. Bitemark analysis and comparison forensic odontology part ii. Ron haines talks about his work in the field and demonstrates how to read a bite mark.
In addition to that, the discipline has been woefully lacking in controls on process, procedure, and competence. Bite mark evidence, an aspect of forensic odontology, is the process by which odontologists dentists attempt to match marks found at crime scenes with the. For example, if the victim is deceased, the skin may slip as the body decays, causing the bite to move. As this sciencentral news video shows, scientists are now stepping in to improve whats known about bite marks as evidence, and make it easier for law enforcement to. Bite marks forensic dentistry continuing education course. Forensic odontology includes identification of human remains and age estimation as well as bite mark evidence. Bite marks are often found on children who are abused. Although bite marks of an individual do have uniqueness due to specific characteristics and arrangement of the teeth, when it comes to bite mark analysis, it is. Bitemark evidence flows from the field of forensic odontology. In instances where criminal investigation is indicated, the forensic odontologist provides professional support to the law enforcement agency, the state attorneys office or the public defender. Although each person is born with the same number and type of teeth, the dental pattern of each individual is unique. The dental tissues are often preserved even if the deceased person is. Identification forensic odontology bitemark evidence.
Mike bowers dds, jd, diplomate, american board of forensic odontology. Forensic sciences, introduction to forensic odontology dentistry, introduction to forensic anthropology, role and importance of forensic odontologist, forensic dentistry and the law, identification of human remains, identification in mass fatalities, assessment of bite mark injuries, age estimation, bite marks, use of bite. Bite marks in forensic odontology pdf enced forensic odontologist. Forensic odontology is the application of dental science to legal investigations, primarily involving the identification of the offender by comparing dental records to a bite mark left on the victim or at the scene, or identification of human remains based on dental records. To use bite marks as crime evidence, investigators must make exact photographic records of the marks. Issues in human and animal bite mark bitemark analysis. Forensic odontology is the application of dentistry to the investigation of crime. There is valuable information that can and should be obtained from a bite mark, whether or not it can be, or is, used for comparison purposes.
Its time to stop using bite marks in forensics, experts argue date. Without the mastery of forensic dentistry the investigation process and identification of. These forensic dentists, or odontologists, were lowell levine and richard souviron. The first step in analyzing the bite is to identify it as human. To date, about three million of his bite mark scales have been sold, according to members of the american academy of forensic sciences. Its time to stop using bite marks in forensics, experts argue. Bite mark analysis is an imperative area of forensic odontology and considered the commonest form of dental evidence presented. His scale was a simple yet ingenious solution to a decadesold problem in forensic science. Although there are many cases in which bite mark evidence has been critical to the conviction or exoneration of criminal defendants, there is continuing dispute. Read about cases were bite mark evidence lead to wrongful convictions. It has its main applications in identification of corpses and human remains and in bite analysis. In the field of forensic odontology, as recently as 2010, these problems still existed with bite mark analysis. Limitations of forensic odontology the truth about. Dentistry and bite marks in cases of mass disasters, fires, murders and many other scenarios the use of forensic odontology is the key to identification.
There is no current agreement between odontologists about the uniqueness of the dentition or how the skin behaves while being bitten. Pdf analysis and identification of bitemarks in forensic casework. Bitemark evidence under fire, by bill haney, ventura. Human bite mark analysis is by far the most demanding and complicated part of forensic dentistry. Cureus forensic odontology, a boon and a humanitarian.
975 178 1148 1352 1329 1549 759 436 875 1362 1400 1017 336 1012 1160 1543 1526 1059 1314 595 695 104 705 1230 1354 4 48 989 207 478 1264 1394 1459 1390 710 463 89 517