Page 39 - Forensic News Journal Oct Nov 2017
P. 39
Bite Mark Forensic Evidence
Washington D.C. The FORENSIC through dental records,
development of forensic ODONTOLOGISTS estimate age of both liv-
odontology was furthered ing and deceased persons,
by the publication of a A forensic dentist is not an analysis of bite marks on
F book in 1966 by Gus- ordinary dentist; s/he is a victims and other sub-
O tafson, called ‘Forensic board- certified specialist stances such as foodstuffs
R Odontology’. This book who deals primarily with and presentation of bite
E had a substantial chapter bite mark evidence. Al- mark evidence in court as
N devoted to bite marks and though, one does not have an expert witness (Sellar,
S was the first major work to be a specialist to be- 2002).
I to be published on
C this subject. Then “Bite mark analysis and HUMAN BITE
in 1970, forensic evidence has been judicially MARKS
M odontology be- accepted in the United States
E came a department since 1954 (Doyle vs. State). Of all the components
T in the AAFS, and It was only in 1975, that bite of the human body
H became recog- mark evidence gave us the teeth outlast all other
O nized as a spe- Marx standard of admissibility parts after death. Their
D cialty in forensic durability makes it per-
O science. In 1976, (People vs. Marx, 1975)”. fect for identification.
L the American Sometimes, they are the
O Board of Foren- only means of identifi-
G sic Odontology (ABFO) come an expert witness, it cation left. A clear exam-
Y was organized. This was helps to strengthen the va- ple is Adolf Hitler’s dental
a step towards profes- lidity of the scientific evi- records, which identified
sionalism in the sector of dence in court (O’Conner, his corpse. It is claimed
forensic odontology. The 2006). that no two people have
ABFO started to provide identical teeth. Unlike
a program of certification Forensic odontology is a fingerprints which remain
in forensic odontology. branch of forensic medi- unchanged, teeth become
This furthered the science cine that in the interest of unique with wear and tear.
of forensic odontology justice deals with dental For successful identifica-
and made it more reliable evidence presented in the tion both ante and post
(Dorion, 2004). courts of law. The work of mortem data should be
a forensic odonatologist is available, even one tooth
to identify human remains can be useful for identifi-
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