Dental Cast
Definition
A three-dimensional stone or resin model of a suspect's dentition made from an impression of their arches. The cast is the reference object for comparison to the bite mark pattern.
- Material
- Dental stone or resin
- Made from
- An impression of the suspect's dental arches
- Purpose
- Physical reference model for bite mark comparison
- Dimensionality
- Three-dimensional, positive replica
Common questions
How is a dental cast used against a bite mark injury?+
The cast, or a transparent overlay traced from it, is aligned against photographs or scans of the bite injury to compare tooth position, spacing, rotation, and individual wear features. Modern practice increasingly uses digital scans of the cast rather than the physical model itself.
Who is legally allowed to take the impression a cast is made from?+
Taking a dental impression from a suspect typically requires a court order or the suspect's informed consent, since it involves a bodily procedure; a licensed dentist or forensic odontologist performs the impression and pours the cast.
Related terms
- 3D Optical Scanning
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- ABFO No. 2 Scale
- The right-angle L-shaped reference scale with circular targets used in bite mark photography. Its design enables post-capture correction of lens distortion and...
- Double-Swab Technique
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- Stereomicroscopy
- Low-power binocular microscopy used to examine excised bite mark tissue or impression surfaces at magnification levels (typically 10 to 40x) that reveal...
- Transparent Overlay
- A life-size tracing or printed representation of the biting surfaces of a suspect's dental cast, placed over a bite mark photograph to...