Weeratna Jayanie B
Institute of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, Colombo,Sri Lanka.
J Forensic Odontostomatol. 2014 Jul 1;32(1):1-8.
Bite marks can be considered as a patterned injury where identification of the causative tool will lead to the identification of the perpetrator. When patterned injuries resembling bite marks are seen on the victim or an assailant of a potential crime, all efforts must be made to carry out an immediate and proper investigation. The classical human bite mark pattern will appear as an oval or circular injury. However there are several dermatological lesions which can be misinterpreted or confused with bite marks. Similarly scars left as a result of contact with hot objects can sometimes bear a resemblance to bite marks. To the untrained eye, identification of bite mark injuries is not an easy task. Since bite marks are common in cases of child abuse and neglect, it is recommended that dental surgeons with forensic background become members of the child abuse and neglect management teams. During investigation of bite marks in alleged cases of child abuse and neglect, it is imperative to compare the injury with dentition of all the persons who have direct access to the child including siblings and playmates. Information revealed through the forensic analysis of bite marks not only helps in the criminal investigation but also in the clinical management of the persons concern.
咬痕可被视为一种有特征性的损伤，确定致伤工具将有助于识别犯罪者。当在潜在犯罪的受害者或袭击者身上发现类似咬痕的有特征性损伤时，必须立即展开全面且恰当的调查。典型的人类咬痕形态会呈现为椭圆形或圆形损伤。然而，有几种皮肤病变可能会被误解或与咬痕混淆。同样，因接触热物体留下的疤痕有时也可能与咬痕相似。对于未经专业训练的人来说，识别咬痕损伤并非易事。由于咬痕在虐待和忽视儿童的案件中很常见，建议有法医背景的牙科医生加入虐待和忽视儿童管理团队。在调查涉嫌虐待和忽视儿童案件中的咬痕时，必须将损伤与所有能直接接触到该儿童的人的牙列进行比对，包括其兄弟姐妹和玩伴。通过对咬痕的法医分析所揭示的信息不仅有助于刑事调查，也有助于对相关人员的临床处理。
