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Analysis of time-dependent changes in Bitemarks on Styrofoam sheets
Djeapragassam Parimala1, Mariappan Jonathan Daniel1, Subramanian Vasudevan Srinivasan1
1Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Mahatma Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Puducherry, India.
Contemporary Clinical Dentistry
|March 31, 2015
Summary
Bitemark analysis on Styrofoam sheets showed no significant time-dependent changes. This suggests Styrofoam is a reliable substrate for preserving bitemark evidence in forensic dentistry investigations.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Dentistry
- Dental Evidence Analysis
Background:
- Bitemarks are crucial in forensic dentistry for perpetrator identification in medicolegal cases.
- Analyzing bitemarks is challenging due to time-dependent pattern changes on crime scene substrates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of time on bitemark patterns recorded on Styrofoam sheets.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 25 subjects who provided dental casts.
- Test bites were made on Styrofoam sheets, with overlays created and assessed for accuracy on days 1, 2, 3, and 4.
- Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA was used for statistical analysis.
Main Results:
- The study found no statistically significant time-dependent changes in bitemark patterns on Styrofoam (P=1).
- The Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA indicated consistency in bitemark patterns over the observation period.
Conclusions:
- Styrofoam sheets exhibit no significant time-dependent alterations in bitemark patterns.
- Styrofoam is a superior substrate for preserving bitemark evidence compared to human skin or food items found at crime scenes.
