Summary
Research evaluates the application of recent developments in personal computer graphics for the preservation and analysis of human bite marks and specifically, to develop protocols to share and electronically transmit data among other workers. This multiphase project studied a series of bite marks and recorded them digitally, developed conventional two-dimensional overlays of dental casts, generated and compared three-dimensional digital models, and investigated transmitting digital images to co-workers for evaluation. Successful 2-D overlays were produced with off-the-shelf graphics software and transmitted via conventional modem to other workers. Production of three-dimensional digital models proved more of a challenge and was deemed to be impractical with currently available off-the-shelf software.