title: Support for the use of thermoplastic bite impressions to aid in the identification of missing and unknown children.
abstract: This paper presents a response to the editorial opinion expressed in the position paper "Promotion of the Use of a Thermoplastic Material to Aid in the Identification of Unidentified Human Remains," published on page 14 of this issue of the JOURNAL OF THE MASSACHUSETTS DENTAL SOCIETY. No references were cited in that paper: Because the mission of the American Board of Forensic Odontology (ABFO) is to "promote and enhance the science of forensic odontology" and realizing that the ABFO Guidelines on bite mark evidence has failed law enforcement in several high-profile cases in the past, it is necessary to publish a referenced response addressing some of the statements that were made in the ABFO article.
authors.affiliation: Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Tesini
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003760:Dental Impression Materials; D005553:Forensic Dentistry / Q000379:methods*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007574:Jaw Relation Record; D010969:Plastics; D011861:Radiography, Dental / Q000592:standards; D012953:Societies, Dental; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D003760:Dental Impression Materials; D010969:Plastics