Dental Arch
Definition
The curved row of teeth in the upper (maxillary) or lower (mandibular) jaw. The shape and width of each arch is partly determined by genetics and partly by dental history, and it forms the outer frame of any bite mark.
- Location
- Maxillary (upper) or mandibular (lower) jaw
- Shape drivers
- Genetics and individual dental history
- Relevance
- Outer frame of a bite mark pattern
- Use in analysis
- Overall size and shape comparison to a bite injury
Common questions
How does arch shape help in bite mark analysis?+
The width and curvature of the arch set the overall span and outline within which individual tooth marks fall. An examiner compares the size and shape of the injury's outer boundary to the suspect's arch dimensions before considering the finer detail of individual teeth.
Does arch shape change over a person's lifetime?+
Yes, tooth loss, orthodontic treatment, and jaw growth or resorption can alter arch shape over years, which is why dental records close in time to the injury are preferred over older ones for comparison.
Related terms
- Class Characteristics
- Features deliberately or systematically imparted to a group of items by design or manufacture, such as the calibre of a bullet, the...
- Contusion
- Bruising without a break in the skin surface. Many bite marks present as contusion patterns: paired arches of discolouration with no laceration....
- Individual Characteristics
- Surface features on a fired bullet or cartridge case that arise from random or unique events (tool wear, corrosion, service damage) and...
- Petechial Haemorrhage
- Tiny pinpoint bleeds within the skin, sometimes visible inside the bite circle as a result of suction. Their presence can help confirm...
- Viscoelasticity
- Skin's combined elastic (spring-back) and viscous (flow) behavior under stress. Because skin is viscoelastic, it deforms under biting pressure in ways that...