A Technique to Capture, Analyze, and Quantify Anterior Teeth Rotations for Application in Court Cases Involving Tooth Marks

Abstract

Anterior teeth within the human dentition have a specific numerical rotation value. Bite marks show an array of angled indentations, abrasions, microlacerations, and contusions. These marks generally represent the incisal surfaces of the suspect's dentition reflecting the rotation values of the teeth in the dental arch. This study described a method for capturing and analyzing anterior dental rotations. The rotations of individual anterior teeth within the study population were categorized as common, uncommon, and very uncommon according to Allen's classification. In the absence of a large number of incisal patterns present in a bite mark, a single but heavily weighted tooth rotation could be of equal discriminatory potential to several common rotation values. No prevalence studies quantifying individual tooth rotations are available. The measurement of each individual tooth rotation together with its individual discrimination potential will enhance the evaluation of the concordant features observed in bite marks.

A Preliminary Study of Malay and Chinese Bite Mark in UKM Using Dental Wax

“…This study's result differ with result reported by (Bernitz et al 2006) where there was signifi cant teeth rotation found between races of Caucasian and Negroid for upper right and lower left incisor. Thus, we conclude that relative rotation of teeth is not suitable in determining ethnicity.…”

“…Supporting evidence in the form of bite marks would be useful to strengthen a case (Bernitz et al 2006).…”

An Integrated Technique for the Analysis of Skin Bite Marks

“…Each of the selected features were evaluated and classified as common, uncommon, or very uncommon (11,16).…”

The application of affine transformations in matching distorted forensic samples with a common origin

“…The practice of forensic odontology regularly requires the expert to establish a degree of concordance between two objects one or both of which have undergone minimal degrees of deformation [1][2][3][4]. For the purposes of this paper, deformation will include warping, shrinkage and distortion.…”

“…The deformation can be the result of a time delay, postural change [4,5], poor photographic technique or physical changes to the evidence [2,6]. These comparisons can be between the dentition of a suspect/ victim and bite marks on inanimate objects/skin [1,3], two radiological images [7], palatal rugae patterns [8][9][10], dental arches, lip prints [8,11] and other unique situations which are presented in forensic odontological cases.…”