Forensic Dental Evidence in a case of sexual assault and homicide of a minor girl in India: A Case Report

Abstract

Forensic Odontology is that branch of dentistry which deals with evidence related to teeth and maxillo-facial region, pertaining to  recognition, collection, evaluation, analysis, reporting and presentation of dental evidence. Bites, in the form of pattern injury are  sources of physical evidence and owing to the presence of saliva which can be swabbed for DNA as per standard protocols of forensic  examination, they are also a source of biological evidence. In this paper, a case of sexual assault and homicide of a minor girl,  involving bite mark evidence is presented. Bite mark evidence, if analysed, must be handled with utmost sensitivity as skin is a  dynamic tissue and the pattern is not always recorded with clarity. However, when the pattern of injury is clear and undistorted, it can  prove to be crucial in such forensic investigations involving should crimes against women and children.