Bitemarks in chocolate: a case report

Abstract

Police investigating a theft from a chocolate factory recovered three pieces of chocolate with irregular fractured surfaces displaying a pattern of marks made by human teeth. A highly accuracy dental impression material was used to prepare casts of these marks which were examined and photomicrographed, confirming that they had in fact been produced by human teeth. Casts and photomicrographs of the suspect's teeth were made in order to record the fine details of the casts of the dentition. Unique characteristics evident on these casts included a small notch on the incisal edge of the upper right lateral incisor, wear facets on the incisal edges of the upper central incisors and on the lower right lateral incisor and a space of approximately 1.5 mm between the upper left central incisor and lateral incisor which was rotated about 20 degrees distally. Both direct and photomicrographic comparisons between the casts of the chocolates and of the suspect's dentition revealed correspondence between their unique characteristics.