Admissibility and Reliabilityīite mark analysis has historically been recognized as a reliable scientific method of identification in North Carolina courts, and testimony about the analysis has consistently been admitted upon proper authentication and foundation. See State v. This representation can then be compared with a scaled photograph of the bite mark on the victim as a means of determining common points of identification.Īny bite marks should also be examined for saliva (by wiping a sterile cotton swab across the bite mark), since it may be possible to determine the DNA and secretor status of the person who made the bite as an alternative method of identification. For more information, see the related expert witness entry on DNA Evidence.

The plastic overlay is used to mark the points of contact, and forms a representation of defendant’s bite marks or a pattern of the cutting edges of defendant’s teeth. Because the dental expert will need to know the scale shown in the picture, it is essential to have some method of measurement (such as a ruler or tape measure) photographed alongside the bite mark and the defendant’s teeth. A plaster cast of the defendant’s dental impressions can also be used to prepare a plastic overlay. To make a good comparison, a balanced, color, scale photograph should be made of the defendant’s teeth (which may be used by the expert to illustrate his or her testimony in court) and of the victim’s bite.

The expert should be able to rule out any injuries or wounds caused by objects other than teeth, and differentiate between animal and human bites. In some cases, forensic odontologists have even testified as to a person’s likely age and race based on an examination of his teeth. To analyze such evidence, a dental expert will usually take photographs (or make an impression) of the defendant’s teeth. The theory behind bite mark analysis is that the dental characteristics of size, shape, and arch form mean that each person has a unique and distinctive set of teeth, which leave a correspondingly unique pattern or impression after a bite. By comparing a bite mark that is being investigated (e.g., on the victim’s skin) to the teeth of the person suspected of having committed the crime, a bite mark analyst (“forensic odontologist”) may be able to provide evidence linking the suspect to the crime.

Bite mark impression evidence