Page 26 - Bad Impression Bite Mark

Lab

Procedure

1. Fold a piece of the pink baseplate wax in half to 7. Flip the wax over, and label the upper right
form a square. corner with a ‘Bottom’ with a sticker.

2. Use gloves or place wax impressions in plastic 8. Repeat steps 1 through 6 with another piece of
bags to protect from transferring saliva from wax to make an additional impression.
one student to another.
9. Complete the worksheet, Impression
3. Insert the folded end into your mouth so that all Characterization.
of your teeth will make an impression when you
bite down. 10. Enter your impressions into evidence by taking
them to your instructor who will assign you a
4. Bite the wax slowly and cleanly. Bite hard number. Using the stickers provided, number
enough to leave an impression with your teeth, your wax impressions.
but not hard enough to bite through the wax.
11. Use gloves or place wax impressions in plastic
5. Remove the wax from your mouth. bags to protect from transferring saliva from
one student to another.
6. Using one of the stickers included with the kit,
label the side with the impression of your upper 12. Record your name in the suspects sheet beside
teeth, the side that was facing up when you bit, the number given to you by your instructor.
with a ‘Top’ in the upper right corner.

MEASURING BITE
PATTERN CHARACTERS
The comparison and matching of bite marks
is not an exact science. Since no bite pattern
database exists, no statistical information can
be determined. Although recommendations
exist, each forensic odontologist will weigh
characteristics of a bite mark differently and may

26 THE MYSTERY OF LYLE AND LOUISE