Odontology Taking a bite out of crime

What is odontology? The characteristics of teeth after death. Also forensic dentistry or bite mark evidence expertise

Fact No other part lasts longer In fires, teeth are usually the only means to identify the remains No two people have identical teeth

What is required for identification? Dental records Dentists chart five surfaces of each tooth in a grid which is called an odontogram Can also provide bite mark evidence

What is bite mark evidence? The skill of comparing dental impressions taken from a person's mouth to bite-mark impressions on the skin (or possibly the bones) of a victim A bite might penetrate the skin, but often only leaves bruisingand sometimes the blood marks of a bruise are mistaken for the impression of a tooth

The physical characteristics of both the bite mark wound and the suspect's teeth include the distance from cuspid to cuspid the shape of the mouth arch the evidence of a tooth out of alignment teeth width and thickness, spacing between teeth missing teeth the curves of biting edges unique dentistry wear patterns such as chips or grinding