Page 42 - Forensic News Journal Oct Nov 2017
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Bite Mark Forensic Evidence
electronic transmission documentation of the and noted. These are done
and archiving (Bowers dentition, clinical exami- both in the case of a living
& Johansen, 2004). The nation with extra oral and victim as a deceased indi-
better the bite mark, the intraoral considerations vidual. Demographics in-
better an expert can make and dental impressions. In clude details such as name F
a reliable comparison (O’ 1994 the ABFO indicated of victim, case number O
Connor, 2006). that the most widely used and date of examination, R
methods of comparing bite person to contact, age of E
The American Board of mark evidence were; the victim, sex and name of N
Forensic Odontology generation of overlays (ac- examiner. The location of S
(ABFO) follows bite mark etate), test bite media such bite mark, which includes I
standards and guidelines. as wax exemplars, Styro- the anatomical location, C
The ABFO provides a foam and so on and com- description of surface con-
list of generally accepted parison techniques mostly tour and whether it is flat, M
methods that meet the using acetate. curved or irregular and a E
criteria of the scientific description of the tissue T
model. This is to help All ABFO diplomats are characteristics with details H
forensic odontology to expected to use the most on the underlying bone, O
achieve the objective of analytical standards and cartilage, muscle and fat D
universally acceptable methods suggested. structure and if the skin is O
methodology. The ABFO Certain vital information fixed or mobile. The shape L
provides guidance on must always be recorded of the bite mark must be O
how to preserve bite mark G
evidence, which are saliva Y
swabs of bite site, pho-
tographic documentation
of the bite site which in-
cludes lighting and scale,
obtaining impressions of
bite site including victim’s
dental impressions, tis-
sue specimens. Guidelines
are also formulated on the
evidence collection of sus-
pected dentition and these
include the photographic Photo Courtesy of jfds.org
42
