Can dental arch size be used to determine the age of the perpetrator of a bite injury?

Abstract

A question commonly asked by Investigators is whether or not a bite mark injury can be ascribed to a child or to an adult on the basis of its apparent size. We review the literature in relation to this question, and demonstrate that there is a wide variation in arch sizes in both males and females in both adult and juvenile cohorts. Because some of these ranges overlap, there is great danger in reaching some conclusions without further information to aid the decision-making process. We conclude that arch measurement alone is not a sufficient characteristic on which to base an opinion.