OSAC 2021-N-0030 Terminology for Suspected 

Pattern of Dental Origin

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 Suspected 

Pattern of Dental Origin

Draft OSAC Proposed Standard

OSAC 2021-N-0030

Terminology for A Suspected Patten of 

Dental Origin

Prepared by 

Forensic Odontology Subcommittee

Version: 1.0

September 2021

Disclaimer:

This OSAC Proposed Standard was written by the [insert subcommittee or other unit name] 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 Suspected 

Pattern of Dental Origin

1 Foreword

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

3 Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science.

4

5 The following applies to this document: 

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

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

8 practice.

9

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

11 publication date.

12

13 Keywords: terminology, forensic odontology, patterned injury, human dentition.

14
OSAC 2021-N-0030 Terminology for Suspected 

Pattern of Dental Origin

15

16

17 Table of Contents

18 1 SCOPE.................................................................................................................................................... 2

19 2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 2

20 3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS ................................................................................................................. 2

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

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

23 ANNEX C................................................................................................................................................... 11

24 ANNEX D................................................................................................................................................... 12

25 4 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................................. 13

26 5 INDEX.................................................................................................................................................. 13

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56
2

57 1 Scope

58

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

60

61 Note to Scope: This document does not provide information on the criteria for applying these terms to a specific 

62 suspected pattern of a dental origin

63

64 2 Normative References

65

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

67

68 3 Terms and definitions

69 For purposes of this document, the following definitions apply.

70 Note to Terms and Definitions: These terms and definitions layout follow ISO IEC Directives Part 1 And Consolidated 

71 ISO Supplement 2019 (10th Edition) Section 3. Terms and Definitions recommendations and are listed according to the 

72 hierarchy of the concepts (i.e., systematic order) rather than alphabetical order. An alphabetica l listing is available in 

73 the index.

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100 3.1 General terms

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 investigator

3.1.2 natural tooth (teeth)

3.1.3 artificial tooth (teeth)

3.1.4 pattern

3.1.5 bite mark / bitemark

3.1.6 toothmark / teethmark

3.1.7 evidentiary value

3.1.8 substrate

3.1 General Terms

3.2 class characteristic

3.3 individual characteristic

3.4 Substrate 

Characteristics

3.5 injury
3

101

102 3.1.1

103 investigator

104 person who carries out a formal inquiry

105

106 3.1.2

107 natural tooth (teeth)

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

109

110 Note 1 to entry: Some elements may be missing due to congenital, developmental, or structural modifications

111

112 3.1.3

113 artificial tooth (teeth)

114 prosthesis restoring or replacing a natural tooth

115

116 3.1.4

117 pattern

118 distinctive shape, form, or array appearing in or on a medium

119

120 3.1.4.1

121 patterned injury

122 injury with a pattern reproducing the characteristics of the object causing 

123 the injury

124

125 3.1.5

126 bite mark/bitemark

127 physical alteration in a medium caused by the contact of the biting surfaces of teeth 

128 as a result of the closure of the mouth 

129

130 3.1.6

131 toothmark / teethmark

132 physical alteration in a medium caused by contact between the medium and a tooth 

133 or teeth

134

135 3.1.7

136 evidentiary value

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

138

139

140

141

142 3.1.8

143 substrate

144 surface or surfaces on which a pattern appears

145

146 3.1.9

147 artifact
4

148 spurious observation not intrinsically present

149

150 3.2

151 class characteristic

152 feature that distinguishes items between categories

153

154 3.2.1

155 pattern landmark

156 reference feature in the pattern

157

158 3.2.1.1.1

159 cusp

160 occlusal eminence of a tooth used for biting

161

162 3.2.1.1.1.1

163 cuspal eminence

164 most protruding portion of a tooth cusp

165

166 3.2.2

167 pattern shape

168 outline of a pattern 

169

170 Note 1 to entry: Suggested terms for shape are included in Annex A - Suggested Terms for Pattern Shape

171

172 3.2.3

173 pattern metrics

174 quantitative measurement of the characteristics of the pattern

175

176

177 3.2.3.1

178 circumferential distance

179 curvilinear measurement between two points 

180

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

182

183

184 3.2.3.2

185 linear distance

186 the shortest measurement between two points 

187

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

189

190 3.2.3.3

191 intercuspal distance

192 linear measurement between cuspal eminences of the same arch

193

194 3.2.4
5

195 dental arch

196 curved composite structure of the dentition

197

198

199 3.2.4.1

200 arch characteristic (of the dentition)

201 distinguishing dental features of a jaw

202

203 3.2.4.1.1

204 arch size

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

206

207 3.2.4.1.2

208 maximum interarch distance

209 individual's greatest achievable opening distance between two landmarks on 

210 opposing jaws

211

212 3.2.4.1.3

213 dental midline

214 line drawn between the central incisors of a dental arch

215

216 3.2.4.1.4

217 arch midline

218 line bisecting an alveolar process, typically passing through the incisive 

219 foramen

220

221 3.3

222 individual characteristic

223 distinguishing feature within a group

224

225 3.3.1

226 diastema

227 naturally occurring interdental space

228

229 3.3.2

230 incisal edge

231 biting edge of an anterior tooth

232

233 3.3.2.1

234 incisal edge shape (by tooth)

235 area outline of the incisal edge of a tooth

236

237 Note 1 to entry: Suggested terms are included in Annex B - Suggested Terms for Describing the Incisal Edge 

238 Shape

239

240 3.3.2.2

241 incisal edge metrics (by tooth)
6

242 quantitative assessment of the incisal edge of a tooth

243

244 3.3.2.2.1

245 incisal edge angulation

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

247

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

249

250 3.3.2.3

251 orientation of the bitemark

252 positional relationship of a bitemark to the substrate

253

254

255

256

257

258 3.4

259 substrate characteristics

260 features or qualities belonging to a substrate 

261

262

263 3.4.1

264 physical characteristics

265 measurable features of an entity

266

267 3.4.1.1

268 pattern color (multiple iterations allowed)

269 hue, chroma, and value of a pattern 

270

271 Note 1 to entry: Suggested terms for color are included in Annex C - Suggested Terms for Describing the 

272 Color of a Patterned Injury

273

274 3.4.1.2

275 surface

276 external layer of a substrate

277

278 3.4.1.2.1

279 surface contour (multiple iterations allowed)

280 surface topography of the substrate

281

282 Note 1 to entry: Suggested Note 1 to entry: terms for surface contour are included in Annex D -

283 Suggested Terms for The Surface Contour of a Patterned Injury

284

285 3.5

286 injury

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

288
7

289

290 3.5.1

291 patterned injury characteristics

292 features or qualities belonging to the patterned injury

293

294 3.5.1.1

295 abrasion

296 superficial scraping of the substrate

297

298

299 3.5.1.2

300 bruise

301 ecchymosis from a tissue injury

302

303 3.5.1.3

304 contusion

305 bruise from blunt trauma

306

307 3.5.1.4

308 laceration

309 soft tissue tear or break

310

311 3.5.1.5

312 petechial hemorrhage

313 pinpoint intradermal hemorrhages beneath the skin

314

315 3.5.1.6

316 avulsion

317 tearing away of an attached or anchored tissue

318

319 3.5.1.7

320 incision

321 cut in tissue made with a sharp object

322

323 3.5.1.8

324 indentation

325 recess on a surface

326

327 3.5.1.9

328 drag marks

329 abrasion injury induced by motion

330

331 3.5.1.10

332 unknown

333 undefined pathology

334

335
8

336 3.5.2

337 anatomical location (biological substrates)

338 site of the pattern

339

340 3.5.3

341 tissue characteristics (biological substrates)

342 features or qualities belonging to the biological substrate of the pattern 

343

344

345 3.5.3.1

346 fixed substrate

347 substrate that is firmly attached to underlying structures

348

349 3.5.3.2

350 mobile substrate

351 substrate that is not firmly attached to underlying structures

352

353 3.5.3.3

354 substrate elasticity

355 substrate ability to resume its resting position

356

357
9

358

359

360

361 Annex A

362 (informative)

363 Suggested Terms for Pattern Shape 

round

ovoid

crescent

diamond

rectangular

irregular

indeterminant

364

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

366

367
10

368

369 Annex B

370 (informative)

371 Suggested Terms for Describing the Incisal Edge Shape of Anterior Teeth

rectangular

circular

oval

triangular

indeterminant

unknown

372

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

374 Note 2 to entry: unknown - unable to assess incisal edge presence

375
11

376 Annex C

377 (informative)

378 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

379

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

381 Note 2 to entry: unknown - unable to assess incisal edge presence

382
12

383

384

385

386

387 Annex D

388 (informative)

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

390

391

flat

curved

irregular

convex

concave

multiple contours

indeterminant

unknown

392

393

394

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

396 Note 2 to entry: unknown - unable to assess the surface contour

397
13

398

399 4 Bibliography

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

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

402 addressed in the standard. 

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

404 http://www.abfo.org/resources/abfo‐manual/.

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

406

407 Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) Lexicon. It is 

408 available at http://lexicon.forensicosac.org/Term/Home/index

409

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

411 Academic Press, London, UK, 2018.

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

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

414

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

416 Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2011.

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

418 Raton, FL, 2010.

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

420 Elsevier, St. Louis, Missouri, 2010.

421 Dental Autopsy, William E. Silver & Richard R. Souviron, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2009

422

423 5 Index

424

425

426

427 abrasion (3.5.1.1) 6

428 anatomical, location (3.5.2) 7

429 angulation, incisal edge (3.3.2.2.1) 5

430 arch characteristic (3.2.4.1) 4

431 arch midline (3.2.4.1.4) 4

432 arch size (3.2.4.1.1) 4

433 arch, dental (3.2.4) 4

434 artifact (3.1.9) 7

435 artificial, tooth (teeth) (3.1.3) 2

436 avulsion (3.5.1.6) 6

437 bite, mark/bitemark (3.1.5) 2

438 bitemark, bite mark / (3.1.5) 2

439 bitemark, orientation of the (3.3.2.3) 5

440 bruise (3.5.1.2) 6

441 characteristic, class (3.2) 3

442 characteristic, individual (3.3) 4

443 characteristics, tissue (3.5.3) 7

444 characteristics, patterned injury (3.5.1) 6

445 characteristics, physical (3.4.1) 5

446 characteristics, substrate (3.4) 5
OSAC Forensic Odontology Committee

DRAFT 1.0 Terminology for Suspected Pattern of Dental Origin January 2021

14

447 circumferential distance (3.2.3.1) 3

448 color, pattern (3.4.1.1) 5

449 contour, surface (3.4.1.2.1) 5

450 contusion (3.5.1.3) 6

451 cusp (3.2.1.1.1) 3

452 cuspal eminence (3.2.1.1.1.1) 3

453 dental arch (3.2.4) 4

454 dental midline (3.2.4.1.3) 4

455 diastema (3.3.1) 4

456 distance, circumferential (3.2.3.1) 3

457 distance, intercuspal (3.2.3.3) 4

458 distance, linear (3.2.3.2) 3

459 distance, maximum interarch (3.2.4.1.2) 4

460 drag marks (3.5.1.9) 6

461 edge angulation, incisal (3.3.2.2.1) 5

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

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

464 edge, incisal (3.3.2) 4

465 elasticity, substrate (3.5.3.3) 7

466 eminence, cuspal (3.2.1.1.1.1) 3

467 evidentiary value (3.1.7) 2

468 fixed substrate (3.5.3.1) 7

469 hemorrhage, petechial (3.5.1.5) 6

470 incisal edge (3.3.2) 4

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

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

473 incisal, edge angulation (3.3.2.2.1) 5

474 incision (3.5.1.7) 6

475 indentation (3.5.1.8) 6

476 individual characteristic (3.3) 4

477 injury (3.5) 5

478 injury characteristics, patterned (3.5.1) 6

479 injury, patterned (3.1.4.1) 2

480 interarch distance, maximum (3.2.4.1.2) 4

481 intercuspal distance (3.2.3.3) 4

482 investigator (3.1.1) 2

483 laceration (3.5.1.4) 6

484 landmark, pattern (3.2.1) 3

485 linear distance (3.2.3.2) 3

486 location, anatomical (3.5.2) 7

487 mark/bitemark, bite (3.1.5) 2

488 marks, drag (3.5.1.9) 6

489 maximum, interarch distance (3.2.4.1.2) 4

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

491 metrics, pattern (3.2.3) 3

492 midline, arch (3.2.4.1.4) 4

493 midline, dental (3.2.4.1.3) 4

494 mobile substrate (3.5.3.2) 7

495 natural, tooth (teeth) (3.1.2) 2

496 orientation, of the bitemark (3.3.2.3) 5

497 pattern (3.1.4) 2

498 pattern color (3.4.1.1) 5

499 pattern landmark (3.2.1) 3

500 pattern metrics (3.2.3) 3

501 pattern shape (3.2.2) 3

502 patterned injury (3.1.4.1) 2

503 patterned, injury characteristics (3.5.1) 6

504 petechial hemorrhage (3.5.1.5) 6

505 physical characteristics (3.4.1) 5

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

507 shape, pattern (3.2.2) 3

508 size, arch (3.2.4.1.1) 4

509 substrate (3.1.8) 2

510 substrate characteristics (3.4) 5

511

512

513 substrate elasticity (3.5.3.3) 7

514 substrate, fixed (3.5.3.1) 7

515 substrate, mobile (3.5.3.2) 7

516 surface (3.4.1.2) 5

517 surface contour (3.4.1.2.1) 5

518 teethmark, toothmark / (3.1.6) 2

519 tissue, characteristics (3.5.3) 7

520 tooth (teeth), artificial (3.1.3) 2

521 tooth (teeth), natural (3.1.2) 2

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

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

524 unknown (3.5.1.10) 6

525 value, evidentiary (3.1.7) 2