Digital bite mark overlays--an analysis of effectiveness.

U.S. courts have stated that witnesses must be able to identify published works that define operational parameters of any tests or procedures that form the basis of scientific conclusions. Such works do not exist within the field of bite mark analysis. As the most commonly employed analytical technique in bite injury assessment. this study defines quantifiable variables for transparent digital overlays. A series of ten simulated, postmortem bites were created on pigskin and, with accompanying overlays, assembled into cases. Using two separate studies with four examiner groups, the study defined values of intra- and inter-examiner reliability, accuracy. sensitivity, specificity, and error rates for transparent overlays. Methods and statistical treatments from medical decision-making and diagnostic test evaluation were employed. Forced decision models and receiver operating characteristic analyses were utilized. Sensitivity and specificity values are described. and the results are consistent with other dental diagnostic systems. It was concluded that the weak inter-examiner reliability values explain the divergence of odontologists' opinions regarding bite mark identifications often stated in court. The effect of training and experience of the examiners was found to have little effect on the effective use of overlays within this study. The authors conclude that further research is required so that the results of the current study can be placed into context, but this represents a significant first step in establishing the scientific basis for this aspect of forensic dentistry.     

Transillumination in bite mark evidence

Transillumination of bite mark evidence is a technique whereby the presence of subcutaneous hemorrhage can be visualized without having to section through the bite mark. This is a nondestructive technique. The presence of subcutaneous hemorrhage indicates that the bite mark was inflicted before death or perimortem. In addition, the technique proves invaluable in determining the orientation of the bite mark. This is particularly helpful when a bite mark is poorly defined, barely visible, or obscured by other superimposed bite marks or traumatic injury patterns. Observation of the subcutaneous hemorrhage by transillumination may provide an indication of the horizontal alignment of the aggressor's dentition since the force of occlusion used in delivery of the bite mark is a factor in the presence and intensity of the hemorrhage. Transillumination supports a conclusion that there may be two types of hemorrhagic patterns in bite mark evidence. Lastly, when transillumination is used in conjunction with visual aids, it can facilitate communication of bite mark evidence to other expert witnesses or to the jury in trial presentation or both.     

咬痕及其法医学鉴定

咬痕(bite mark)是指某一个体的牙齿或牙齿与口腔其它部分一起作用于物体(人体、食物和其它物体),造成该物体在形态学上发生改变而留下的痕迹[1].1874年,美国"防止虐待动物学会"报告了第一例儿童虐待案例--玛丽.艾伦案,其中首次涉及到咬痕证据[2].咬痕多见于暴力案件和性犯罪案件,在受害人和加害人身上均可发现.许多学者认为,咬痕可以作为证据,因为咬痕特征具有明显的个体差异和相对稳定性,许多案件可以根据咬痕鉴定提供的线索和证据去破获或作正确的判决,由此可见,咬痕的法医学鉴定具有重要的实用价值.     

咬痕及其法医学鉴定

咬痕(ｂｉｔｅｍａｒｋ)是指某一个体的牙齿或牙齿与口腔其它部分一起作用于物体(人体、食物和其它物体),造成该物体在形态学上发生改变而留下的痕迹[1]。1874年,美国“防止虐待动物学会”报告了第一例儿童虐待案例———玛丽·艾伦案,其中首次涉及到咬痕证据[2]。咬痕多见于暴力案件和性犯罪案件,在受害人和加害人身上均可发现。许多学者认为,咬痕可以作为证据,因为咬痕特征具有明显的个体差异和相对稳定性,许多案件可以根据咬痕鉴定提供的线索和证据去破获或作正确的判决,由此可见,咬痕的法医学鉴定具有重要的实用价值。一、咬痕的发生情…     

Effectiveness of comparison overlays generated with DentalPrint software in bite mark analysis

Validation studies of the new DentalPrint software were carried out with experimental bite marks in pigskin. The bite marks were digitally photographed according to the ABFO guidelines for evidence collection. Dental casts used in the experiment were scanned in 3D and 2D, and comparison overlays were generated using DentalPrint and Adobe Photoshop software, respectively. Digitized photographs of the experimental bite marks and the biting edges obtained in the overlays were compared by two different examiners to analyze the impact of training and experience with the two methods. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, sensitivity, specificity, and 95% confidence intervals for each cutoff point were calculated. The expert examiner using DentalPrint obtained the best results, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.76 (SE=0.057; CI at 95%=0.652-0.876). Fairly high specificity values were found for DentalPrint, and the best results were obtained for the cutoff value that discriminated between the examiner's response "biter" and the rest of the possible (specificity 97.9%, CI at 95%=93.2%-99.6%). Therefore, the results presented here indicate that DentalPrint is a useful, accurate tool for forensic purposes, although further research on the comparison process is needed to enhance the validity of bite mark analysis.     

Analysis of distortion in preserved bite mark skin

In addition to other methods for conservation of bite mark evidence, preservation of actual skin from deceased victims is often suggested. This study was undertaken to analyze the dimensional stability of such specimens. Utilizing a prefabricated template, marks approximating "bites" were made in postmortem skin of Miniature Hanford pigs, producing imprints with distinct margins and indentations. Tissue samples were stored in 10% formalin after affixing an acrylic support ring with cyanoacrylate adhesive and sutures. Measurements of the six tooth mark analogues and cross-arch dimensions were taken at intervals of up to 38 days. Data from these measurements indicate a wide range of amount and type of distortion in preserved tissue. Although some samples were dimensionally stable, there was both contraction and expansion of bite mark specimens, even within individual skin samples. It appears that standard techniques for storage and preservation of bite mark samples will not produce reliable dimensional accuracy.     

Adjunctive use of scanning electron microscopy in bite mark analysis: a three-dimensional study

An examination of a case in which adjunctive use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated the presence of unusual three-dimensional characteristics in a bite mark. Despite the fact that many bite marks do not show "depth," demonstration of the presence of this third dimension can produce significant data for evidentiary purposes. In some instances, these data may transform what seem to be class characteristics of a bite mark into individual characteristics and thus impart much more uniqueness to the evidence. Because of the high level of resolution and magnification of SEM, some three-dimensional characteristics not visible to the eye can be shown quite clearly by its use. Emphasis will be given to the value of SEM as a tool of the forensic odontologist in bite mark analysis.     

Computerized axial tomography as an aid in bite mark analysis: a case report

A case is presented to demonstrate the use of computerized axial tomography (CAT) to develop precise registration of incisal edges for comparison to bite marks. Emphasis is drawn to the availability of CAT Scanning equipment and the importance of understanding its use as an adjunct or alternative to already accepted methods of incisal registration.     

A comparison between direct and indirect methods available for human bite mark analysis

Comparison techniques used in bite mark analysis are many and varied, the choice of technique depending largely on personal preference. Until recently, no one technique has been shown to be better than the others, and very little research has been carried out to compare different methods. This study evaluates and compares the accuracy of direct comparisons between suspects' models and bite marks with indirect comparisons in the form of conventional traced overlays of suspects' models or a new method using photocopier-generated overlays. Artificial bite marks in pigskin were made using standardized sets of models and recorded as photographs and fingerprint powder lifts on tape. The bite mark photographs and fingerprint lifts were coded and randomized so that a blind comparison could be made with the models, traced overlays, and photocopier-generated overlays using a modified version of the American Board of Forensic Odontology Scoring (ABFO) System for Bite Marks. It was found that the photocopier-generated overlays were significantly more accurate at matching the correct bite mark to the correct models irrespective of whether the bite mark was recorded photographically or as a fingerprint lift. The photocopier-generated overlays were also found to be more sensitive at matching the correct bite marks to the correct models than the other two methods used. The modified ABFO scoring system was able to discriminate between a correct match and several incorrect matches by awarding a high score to the correct match.     

Computer-based production of comparison overlays from 3D-scanned dental casts for bite mark analysis

Bite mark analysis assumes the uniqueness of the dentition can be accurately recorded on skin or an object. However, biting is a dynamic procedure involving three moving systems, the maxilla, the mandible, and the victim's reaction. Moreover, bite marks can be distorted by the anatomic location of the injury or the elasticity of the skin tissue. Therefore, the same dentition can produce bite marks that exhibit variations in appearance. The complexity of this source of evidence emphasizes the need for new 3D imaging technologies in bite mark analysis. This article presents a new software package, DentalPrint (2004, University of Granada, Department of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Odontology, Granada, Spain) that generates different comparison overlays from 3D dental cast images depending on the pressure of the bite or the distortion caused by victim-biter interaction. The procedure for generating comparison overlays is entirely automatic, thus avoiding observer bias. Moreover, the software presented here makes it impossible for third parties to manipulate or alter the 3D images, making DentalPrint suitable for bite mark analyses to be used in court proceedings.     

Photographic evidence protocol: the use of digital imaging methods to rectify angular distortion and create life size reproductions of bite mark evidence

Bite mark evidence seen in skin injuries or objects is commonly photographed for evidentiary documentation, preservation, and analysis. Distortion in forensic evidence photographs diminishes the outcome of analytical procedures available to the forensic odontologist. Inaccurate positioning of the evidence, camera, or measurement reference scale creates perspective and parallax distortion of the captured image. These variables must be eliminated, if possible, to ensure reliable results derived from comparison of the suspect teeth and the bite mark. Detection and measurement of camera/evidence/scale misalignment is the threshold step in evidence evaluation, and is possible through digital imaging methods coupled with established methods. Correction (rectification) of perspective distortion is possible through the application of additional digital editing techniques. This study establishes type categories of perspective and parallax distortion seen in bite mark evidence, validates the use of the digital imaging tools of Adobe Photoshop to correct certain types of distortion, and establishes a forensic protocol to verify the accuracy of evidence photographs requiring dimensional accuracy.     

两例皮肤上咬痕的DNA鉴定

在实际侦查中，皮肤上咬痕的鉴定比较注重咬痕的痕迹特征检验。由于人的皮肤在记录咬痕方面是一种很差的介质，有些咬痕特征不能得到明显的反映，因而在个人识别上的利用价值不大。应用PCR-STR技术对咬痕留在皮肤上的唾液斑进行多态DNA位点分型，可以达到个人认定或排除的目的。现就我室受理的两例皮肤上咬痕的DNA检验报告如下：     

A comparison of animal jaws and bite mark patterns

The purpose of this study was to compare the jaw shapes and bite mark patterns of wild and domestic animals to assist investigators in their analysis of animal bite marks. The analyses were made on 12 species in the Order Carnivora housed in the Mammalian Collection at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to metric analysis, one skull from each species was photographed as a representative sample with an ABFO No. 2 scale in place. Bite patterns of the maxillary and mandibular dentition were documented using foamed polystyrene exemplars, which were also photographed. A total of 486 specimens were examined to analyze the jaw and bite mark patterns. A modified technique for measuring intercanine distances was developed to more accurately reflect the characteristics seen in animal bite marks. In it, three separate areas were measured on the canines, rather than just the cusp tip. This was to maximize the amount of information acquired from each skull, specifically to accommodate variances in the depth of bite injuries.     

两例皮肤上咬痕的DNA鉴定

在实际侦查中 ,皮肤上咬痕的鉴定比较注重咬痕的痕迹特征检验。由于人的皮肤在记录咬痕方面是一种很差的介质 ,有些咬痕特征不能得到明显的反映 ,因而在个人识别上的利用价值不大。应用ＰＣＲ -ＳＴＲ技术对咬痕留在皮肤上的唾液斑进行多态ＤＮＡ位点分型 ,可以达到个人认定或排除的目的。现就我室受理的两例皮肤上咬痕的ＤＮＡ检验报告如下 :一、材料与方法1.我室在 1999年 6月及 8月受理的两起咬痕案例 ,检材为血液 (痕 ) ,唾液斑。2 .皮肤上咬痕唾液斑提取 :用干净消毒后的 1ｃｍ2 纱布沾取蒸馏水后 ,用镊子夹着纱布以同心圆方式由里向外…     

Lack of dental uniqueness between two bite mark suspects.

The central dogma of bite mark analysis is based upon two assumptions. The first is that human teeth are unique, and the second is that sufficient detail of the uniqueness is rendered during the biting process to enable identification. Both of these assumptions have been challenged over recent years, and a healthy scientific skepticism surrounding bite mark analysis has developed. The case presented features two suspects whose dental arrangement was similar and, when compared to the bite mark, both demonstrated consistent features. Within a closed population of possible biters, one of the two suspects was responsible for the injury. The case is illustrated with photographic and overlay detail of the suspect's teeth and demonstrates the complexity of such cases. The authors call for greater caution when drawing conclusions from such cases and highlight the need for further research into the replication of dental features on human skin.     

A survey of the incidence of missing anterior teeth: potential value in bite mark analysis.

Bite mark analysis involves comparison of individual dental characteristics between a dentition and the bite injury. A bite mark injury may result from sexual assault, or physical assault, and defensive injuries, and as such can be used to link a suspect to a victim or vice versa. Missing teeth are one of the characteristics that could implicate or exclude a suspected biter. However frequency data for use by forensic odontologists can only be collated from epidemiological studies. Therefore an audit was undertaken of missing anterior teeth in adult patients (n = 1010) attending for treatment, gathering data that could be more relevant to odontology. One in five of the sample presented with missing teeth that were either replaced with a denture (11%), not replaced (6%) or missing with the gap closed (2%).     

Classification of human breast morphology important to bite mark investigation

There is a great range of variability in human breast size and resiliancy that may have an effect upon the interpretation of bite marks. A proper understanding of the normal range of breast morphology and a system of classification is necessary for an understanding of distortion effects, as well as the precise communication of those effects to others. A classification is given for the morphology of the female human breast following a review of the literature.