OSAC 2021-N-0030 Terminology for A

Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

1

OSAC 2021-N-0030

Terminology for A 

Suspected Pattern of 

Dental Origin

Forensic Odontology Subcommittee

Medicine Scientific Area Committee

Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science
OSAC 2021-N-0030 Terminology for A

Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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OSAC Proposed Standard

OSAC 2021-N-0030

Terminology for A Suspected

Pattern of Dental Origin 

Prepared by 

Forensic Odontology Subcommittee

Version 2.0

February 2022

Disclaimer:

This OSAC Proposed Standard was written by the Forensic Odontology Subcommittee of the 

Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science following a process that 

includes an open comment period. This Proposed Standard will be submitted to a standards developing 

organization and is subject to change. 

There may be references in an OSAC Proposed Standard to other publications under development by 

OSAC. The information in the Proposed Standard, and underlying concepts and methodologies, may be 

used by the forensic-science community before the completion of such companion publications.

Any identification of commercial equipment, instruments, or materials in the Proposed Standard is not a 

recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Government and does not imply that the equipment, 

instruments, or materials are necessarily the best available for the purpose.
OSAC 2021-N-0030 Terminology for A

Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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Foreword

This document is a draft of a standard developed by the Subcommittee of the Organization of Scientific 

Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science.

The following applies to this document: 

the term 'shall' indicates that a provision is mandatory and can be audited for compliance

the term 'should' indicates that a provision is not mandatory but recommended as good practice.

All hyperlinks and web addresses shown in this document are current as of this standard's publication 

date.

Keywords: terminology, forensic odontology, patterned injury, human dentition.
OSAC 2021-N-0030 Terminology for A

Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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Table of Contents

1 SCOPE .......................................................................................................................................5

2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES....................................................................................................5

3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS .....................................................................................................5

ANNEX A..........................................................................................................................................9

ANNEX B........................................................................................................................................ 10

ANNEX C........................................................................................................................................ 14

ANNEX D........................................................................................................................................ 15

4 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................... 16

5 INDEX .....................................................................................................................................17
OSAC 2021-N-0030 Terminology for A

Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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1 Scope

This standard provides terms and definitions for describing a suspected pattern of dental origin 

Note to Scope: This document does not provide information on the criteria for applying 

these terms to a specific suspected pattern of dental origin

2 Normative References

There are no normative references. The bibliography contains informative references. 

3 Terms and definitions

For purposes of this document, the following definitions apply.

Note to Terms and Definitions: These terms and definitions layout follow ISO IEC 

Directives Part 1 And Consolidated ISO Supplement 2019 (10th Edition) Section 3. Terms 

and Definitions recommendations and are listed according to the hierarchy of the concepts 

(i.e., systematic order) rather than alphabetical order. An alphabetical listing is available 

in the index.

3.2.1 pattern landmark

3.2.2 pattern shape 

3.2.4 dental arch

3.3.1 diastema

3.3.2 incisal edge

3.4.1 physical characteristics

3.5.1 patterned injury 

characteristics 

3.5.2 anatomical location

3.5.3 tissue characteristics 

3.2.3 pattern metrics

3.1.1 natural tooth (teeth)

3.1.2 artificial tooth (teeth)

3.1.3 pattern

3.1.4 bite mark / bitemark

3.1.5 toothmark / teethmark

3.1.6 evidentiary value

3.1.7 substrate

3.1.8 artifact

3.1 General Terms

3.2 class characteristic

3.3 individual characteristic

3.4 Substrate 

Characteristics

3.5 injury
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Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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3.1 General terms

3.1.1

natural tooth (teeth)

oral organ consisting of enamel, dentin, cementum, and pulp 

Note 1 to entry: Some elements may be missing due to congenital, developmental, 

or structural modifications

3.1.2

artificial tooth (teeth)

prosthesis restoring or replacing a natural tooth

3.1.3

pattern

discernable shape, form, or array appearing in or on a substrate

3.1.3.1

patterned injury

injury with a pattern that may reproduce the characteristics of the object causing 

the injury

3.1.4

bite mark/bitemark

physical alteration in a substrate caused by the contact of the biting surfaces of a tooth 

or teeth as a result of the forceful closure of the mouth 

3.1.5

tooth mark/ toothmark / teeth mark/ teethmark

physical alteration in a substrate caused by contact between the substrate and a tooth 

or teeth that is not a result of a forceful closure of the mouth

3.1.6

evidentiary value

information of sufficient usefulness to serve as the basis for making a empirically 

significant scientific determination.

3.1.7

substrate

surface or surfaces on which a pattern appears

3.1.8

artifact

spurious observation not intrinsically present
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Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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3.2

class characteristic

feature that distinguishes items between categories

3.2.1

pattern landmark

reference feature in the pattern

3.2.1.1

cusp

occlusal eminence of a tooth used for biting

3.2.1.1.1

cuspal eminence

most protruding portion of a tooth cusp

3.2.2

pattern shape

outline of a pattern 

Note 1 to entry: Suggested terms for shape are included in Annex A - Suggested 

Terms for Pattern Shape

3.2.3

pattern metrics

quantitative measurement of the characteristics of the pattern

3.2.3.1

circumferential distance

curvilinear measurement between two points 

3.2.3.2

linear distance

the shortest measurement between two points 

Note 1 to entry: measurement may need to account that pattern occurred on a

curved plane

3.2.3.3

intercuspal distance

linear measurement between cuspal eminences of the same arch

3.2.4

dental arch

curved composite structure of the dentition
OSAC 2021-N-0030 Terminology for A

Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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3.2.4.1

arch characteristic (of the dentition)

distinguishing dental features of a jaw

3.2.4.1.1

arch size

defined linear or curvilinear distance between two landmarks on the same jaw

3.2.4.1.2

maximum interarch distance

individual's greatest achievable opening distance between two landmarks on 

opposing jaws

3.2.4.1.3

dental midline

line drawn between the central incisors of a dental arch

3.2.4.1.4

arch midline

line bisecting an alveolar process, typically passing through the incisive 

foramen

3.3

individual characteristic

distinguishing feature within a class characteristic

3.3.1

diastema

naturally occurring interdental space

3.3.2

incisal edge

biting edge of an anterior tooth

3.3.2.1

incisal edge shape (by tooth)

area outline of the incisal edge of a tooth

Note 1 to entry: Suggested terms are included in Annex B - Suggested Terms for 

Describing the Incisal Edge Shape

3.3.2.2

incisal edge metrics (by tooth)

quantitative assessment of the incisal edge of a tooth
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3.3.2.2.1

incisal edge angulation

"angle formed between the incisal edge of a tooth and a reference 

Note 1 to entry: Commonly, the reference is the incisal edge of an adjacent 

tooth

3.3.2.3

orientation of the bitemark

positional relationship of a bitemark to the substrate

3.4

substrate characteristics

features or qualities belonging to a substrate 

3.4.1

physical characteristics

measurable features of an entity

3.4.1.1

pattern color (multiple iterations allowed)

hue, chroma, and value of a pattern 

Note 1 to entry: Suggested terms for color are included in Annex C - Suggested 

Terms for Describing the Color of a Patterned Injury

3.4.1.2

surface

external layer of a substrate

3.4.1.2.1

surface contour (multiple iterations allowed)

surface topography of the substrate

Note 1 to entry: Suggested Note 1 to entry: terms for surface contour are 

included in Annex D - Suggested Terms for The Surface Contour of a Patterned 

Injury

3.5

injury

damage to a biological organism caused by physical harm (ISO 19434:2017(en), 315)

3.5.1

patterned injury characteristics

features or qualities belonging to the patterned injury
OSAC 2021-N-0030 Terminology for A

Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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3.5.1.1

abrasion

superficial scraping of the substrate

3.5.1.2

bruise

ecchymosis from a tissue injury

3.5.1.3

contusion

bruise from blunt trauma

3.5.1.4

laceration

soft tissue tear or break

3.5.1.5

petechial hemorrhage

pinpoint intradermal hemorrhages beneath the skin

3.5.1.6

avulsion

tearing away of an attached or anchored tissue

3.5.1.7

incision

cut in tissue made with a sharp object

3.5.1.8

indentation

recess on a surface

3.5.1.9

drag marks

abrasion injury induced by motion

3.5.1.10

unknown

undefined pathology

3.5.2

anatomical location (biological substrates)

site of the pattern
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Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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3.5.3

tissue characteristics (biological substrates)

features or qualities belonging to the biological substrate of the pattern 

3.5.3.1

fixed substrate

substrate that is firmly attached to underlying structures

3.5.3.2

mobile substrate

substrate that is not firmly attached to underlying structures

3.5.3.3

substrate elasticity

substrate ability to resume its resting position
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Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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Annex A

(informative)

Suggested Terms for Pattern Shape 

round

ovoid

crescent

diamond

rectangular

irregular

indeterminant

Note 1 to entry: indeterminant - unable to assign a definitive term to the pattern shape 
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Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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Annex B

(informative)

Suggested Terms for Describing the Incisal Edge Shape of Anterior Teeth

rectangular

circular

oval

triangular

indeterminant

unknown

Note 1 to entry: indeterminant - unable to assign a definitive term to the shape of the 

incisal edge

Note 2 to entry: unknown - unable to assess incisal edge presence
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Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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Annex C

(informative)

Suggested Terms for Describing the Color of a Pattern (Biological)

red

violet

reddish purple

bluish purple

purple

blue

violet

green

dark yellow

pale yellow

brown

black

white

multiple colors

indeterminant

unknown

Note 1 to entry: indeterminant - unable to assign a definitive term to the shape of the 

incisal edge

Note 2 to entry: unknown - unable to assess incisal edge presence
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Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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Annex D

(informative)

Suggested Terms for The Surface Contour of the Substrate (Biological) 

flat

curved

irregular

convex

concave

multiple contours

indeterminant

unknown

Note 1 to entry: indeterminant - unable to assign a definitive term to the surface contour 

of the substrate

Note 2 to entry: unknown - unable to assess the surface contour
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Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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4 Bibliography

The following bibliography is not intended to be an all-inclusive list, review, or literature 

endorsement on this topic. The goal of the bibliography is to provide examples of publications 

addressed in the standard. 

American Board of Forensic Odontology, Diplomates Reference Manual. It is available at

http://abfo.org/resources/abfo-manual/

ISO Standards and Terms and Definitions https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/.

Forensic Odontology: Principles and Practice, Thomas J. David & James M. Lewis, Editors, 

Academic Press, London, UK, 2018.

Manual of Forensic Odontology, 5th Edition, David R. Senn & Richard A. Weems, Editors, 

CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, FL, 201

Bitemark Evidence: A Color Atlas and Text, 2nd Edition, Robert B. J. Dorion, Editor, CRC 

Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2011.

Forensic Dentistry, 2nd Edition, David R. Senn & Paul G. Stimson, Editors, CRC Press, Boca 

Raton, FL, 2010.

Wheeler's Dental Anatomy, Physiology, and Occlusion, SJ, Nelson, M Ash Jr., 9th ed., Saunders, 

Elsevier, St. Louis, Missouri, 2010.

Dental Autopsy, William E. Silver & Richard R. Souviron, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 200
OSAC 2021-N-0030 Terminology for A

Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin

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5 Index

abrasion (3.5.1.1) 6

anatomical, location (3.5.2) 7

angulation, incisal edge (3.3.2.2.1) 5

arch characteristic (3.2.4.1) 4

arch midline (3.2.4.1.4) 4

arch size (3.2.4.1.1) 4

arch, dental (3.2.4) 4

artifact (3.1.9) 7

artificial, tooth (teeth) (3.1.3) 2

avulsion (3.5.1.6) 6

bite, mark/bitemark (3.1.5) 2

bitemark, bite mark / (3.1.5) 2

bitemark, orientation of the (3.3.2.3) 5

bruise (3.5.1.2) 6

characteristic, class (3.2) 3

characteristic, individual (3.3) 4

characteristics, tissue (3.5.3) 7

characteristics, patterned injury (3.5.1) 6

characteristics, physical (3.4.1) 5

characteristics, substrate (3.4) 5

circumferential distance (3.2.3.1) 3

color, pattern (3.4.1.1) 5

contour, surface (3.4.1.2.1) 5

contusion (3.5.1.3) 6

cusp (3.2.1.1.1) 3

cuspal eminence (3.2.1.1.1.1) 3

dental arch (3.2.4) 4

dental midline (3.2.4.1.3) 4

diastema (3.3.1) 4

distance, circumferential (3.2.3.1) 3

distance, intercuspal (3.2.3.3) 4

distance, linear (3.2.3.2) 3

distance, maximum interarch (3.2.4.1.2) 4

drag marks (3.5.1.9) 6

edge angulation, incisal (3.3.2.2.1) 5

edge metrics (by, tooth), incisal (3.3.2.2) 5

edge shape (by, tooth), incisal (3.3.2.1) 4

edge, incisal (3.3.2) 4

elasticity, substrate (3.5.3.3) 7

eminence, cuspal (3.2.1.1.1.1) 3

evidentiary value (3.1.7) 2

fixed substrate (3.5.3.1) 7

hemorrhage, petechial (3.5.1.5) 6

incisal edge (3.3.2) 4

incisal edge metrics (by tooth) (3.3.2.2) 5

incisal edge shape (by tooth) (3.3.2.1) 4

incisal, edge angulation (3.3.2.2.1) 5

incision (3.5.1.7) 6

indentation (3.5.1.8) 6

individual characteristic (3.3) 4

injury (3.5) 5

injury characteristics, patterned (3.5.1) 6

injury, patterned (3.1.4.1) 2

interarch distance, maximum (3.2.4.1.2) 4

intercuspal distance (3.2.3.3) 4

investigator (3.1.1) 2

laceration (3.5.1.4) 6

landmark, pattern (3.2.1) 3

linear distance (3.2.3.2) 3

location, anatomical (3.5.2) 7

mark/bitemark, bite (3.1.5) 2

marks, drag (3.5.1.9) 6

maximum, interarch distance (3.2.4.1.2) 4

metrics (by tooth), incisal edge (3.3.2.2) 5

metrics, pattern (3.2.3) 3

midline, arch (3.2.4.1.4) 4

midline, dental (3.2.4.1.3) 4

mobile substrate (3.5.3.2) 7

natural, tooth (teeth) (3.1.2) 2

orientation, of the bitemark (3.3.2.3) 5

pattern (3.1.4) 2

pattern color (3.4.1.1) 5

pattern landmark (3.2.1) 3

pattern metrics (3.2.3) 3

pattern shape (3.2.2) 3

patterned injury (3.1.4.1) 2

patterned, injury characteristics (3.5.1) 6

petechial hemorrhage (3.5.1.5) 6

physical characteristics (3.4.1) 5

shape (by tooth), incisal edge (3.3.2.1) 4

shape, pattern (3.2.2) 3

size, arch (3.2.4.1.1) 4

substrate (3.1.8) 2

substrate characteristics (3.4) 5

substrate elasticity (3.5.3.3) 7

substrate, fixed (3.5.3.1) 7

substrate, mobile (3.5.3.2) 7

surface (3.4.1.2) 5

surface contour (3.4.1.2.1) 5

teethmark, toothmark / (3.1.6) 2

tissue, characteristics (3.5.3) 7

tooth (teeth), artificial (3.1.3) 2

tooth (teeth), natural (3.1.2) 2

tooth), incisal edge metrics (by (3.3.2.2) 5

tooth), incisal edge shape (by (3.3.2.1) 4

unknown (3.5.1.10) 6

value, evidentiary (3.1.7) 2