Similarity and match rates of the human dentition in three dimensions: relevance to bitemark analysis
- 4 September 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in International journal of legal medicine
- Vol. 125 (6), 779-784
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-010-0507-8
Abstract
Uniqueness of the human dentition is a fundamental premise in bitemark analysis. Despite the importance of this key aspect of bitemark methodology, systematic studies of large populations have been limited. Furthermore, there have been no investigations of the significance of the third dimension with regard to dental uniqueness. One hundred digitally scanned mandibular models were analyzed in both 2D and three dimension (3D) using Landmark software. Additionally, 500 3D maxillary and mandibular sets were investigated for determining dental match rate. Statistical analysis was performed with geometric morphometric methods. Results show that measurements in 3D preserve more information about the dentition, reducing but not eliminating random matches in a sample population of 100 mandibular dentitions. Examination of pairs of maxillary and mandibular dentitions showed a substantial number of random matches (197 maxillary, 51 mandibular, one of both maxillary and mandibular). Conclusions indicate that a zero match rate cannot be claimed for the population studied.Keywords
This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- Dental Shape Match Rates in Selected and Orthodontically Treated Populations in New York State: A Two-dimensional Study*Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2011
- Statistical Evidence for the Similarity of the Human DentitionJournal of Forensic Sciences, 2010
- The barriers to achieving an evidence base for bitemark analysisForensic Science International, 2006
- A Technique to Capture, Analyze, and Quantify Anterior Teeth Rotations for Application in Court Cases Involving Tooth MarksJournal of Forensic Sciences, 2006
- 3-D imaging and quantitative comparison of human dentitions and simulated bite marksInternational journal of legal medicine, 2006
- The Coming Paradigm Shift in Forensic Identification ScienceScience, 2005
- Geometric morphometrics: Ten years of progress following the ‘revolution’Italian Journal of Zoology, 2004
- Bite mark documentation and analysis: the forensic 3D/CAD supported photogrammetry approachForensic Science International, 2003
- The scientific basis for human bitemark analyses – a critical reviewScience & Justice, 2001
- The diffusion of shapeAdvances in Applied Probability, 1977