Odontology
Odontology
Deals with the examination of dental evidence including teeth, mouth, and jaws and the presentation of expert evidence in a course of law
Impact/importance of odontology?
- Identification of human remains in crimes and mass disasters
- Estimation of the age of a person living or dead
- Examination of the dentition and face of a person suspected to be the victim of abuse
Challenges? Validity?
- The body can heal from bite marks
- Unlike fingerprints, teeth change greatly throughout a person’s lifetime.
- They can result in the creation of a unique dental profile for an individual but may also prove to be a false negative if much time has passed between the collection of evidence and the collection of dental standards from the suspect.
Common traits of bitemarks
Common traits of bite marks are:
• Semi-circular
• Two opposing U-shaped arches separated by a space at their bases
• A series of round bruises around the arches
• Possible small cuts