Bitemarks

Bitemark Evidence

 

 

 

A bitemark can be inflicted:

 

A. BY an animal or human

 

B. ON a living or deceased individual

 

C. Before, at the moment of, or after death

 

 

EXAMPLES OF BITEMARKS :

 

 

CASE 1

 

An excised, preserved and transilluminated
thigh bitemark using the "Dorion,"

technique (type 3)

 

 

Direct comparison of a suspect's upper dental cast to the bitemark eight years after the victim's death

 

 

CASE 2

 

Transection* of a bitemark showing:

 

Subcutaneous hemorrhage

and

the bitemark on the skin

 

 

Transection should NEVER be executed until  the odontologist has terminated his work.

 

 

CASE 3

 

Suspicious marks A, B, A*, B*

on a child’s abdomen

 

Indentations A, B, A*, B* on the stone model (left) and impression(right)

of a child’s abdomen

 

Excised tissue using the "Dorion" technique (type 3)

 

Transilluminated tissue showing the relationship between the indentations and the subcutaneous bleeding. The findings confirm that:

A. there are at least two bitemarks of human  origin,

B. the bitemarks are at right angles to one another,

C. the bitemarks were inflicted when the victim was alive and,

D. the bitemarks were inflicted by a child.

note the relative absence of hemorrhage

 corresponding to the lower dentition

 

 

Computer imaging, enhancement, analysis, superimposition and comparison of the bitemarks to a sibling’s dentition

in transilluminated tissue

  

 

CASE 4

 

Photograph of a distorted bitemark

 

 

Histology slide showing the absence of bleeding in the tissue.

The bitemark was inflicted following  the death of the victim.

 

 

 

 

 

CASE 6 and 7

 

Bitemarks on a

child’s face and foot

 

 

    

 

CASE 8

 

Bear bitemarks

 

  

 

 

CASE 9

 

 

 

Pitbull dentition

 

 

 

 

 

Bitemarks in fatal pitbull attack

 

 

   

 

Bitemark Evidence, Robert B. J. Dorion, ed., Marcel Dekker, New York N.Y. publication date September 2004

LAST UPDATED: January 11, 2004