Evaluation of a bitemark using clear acrylic replicas of the suspect's dentition--a case report.

An assault occurred during which a bite was inflicted on the left ear of the victim, producing a laceration and severing a portion of tissue from the ear. During the course of their investigation police recovered a lacerated fragment of tissue thought to be of a person's left ear. Impressions of a suspect's dentition were made and cast in dental stone. Positive replicas of the occlusal surfaces of the suspect's dentition were subsequently made using acrylic resin. The ear fragment displayed a lacerated border and a surface which exhibited indentations. When compared with the details of the suspect's lower anterior teeth, correspondence was visible between the shape of the indentations and characteristics of the suspect's dentition. The use of transparent acrylic replicas of the suspect's dentition facilitated the interpretation and comparison between the marks retained in the ear fragment and the features of the suspect's dentition.