Bites

Bites are a pattern of injury produced by human or animal dentitions and associated structures. Bite marks are classified as a form of crush injury because the tooth compresses the skin which leaves an indentation or break. The injury usually consists of abraded and bruised components and often have a curved profile. Bites can be a useful source of DNA and can be expertly analysed by forensic odontologists. Because of the potential for DNA evidence, before cleaning such an injury wet and dry swabs (to capture saliva and DNA) should be considered if clinically feasible and after discussion with the Police.

Figure 7: A human bite to the arm. Note the curved appearance.