A pediatric dentist who began using dental bite
impressions as a way of safeguarding his own child and young
patients developed
Toothprints™in the 1980’s
as a safe and simple
method of identification.
How it works
- when the dentist softens the thermoplastic
Toothprints™
wafer, the child bites into the wafer to record the size
and shape of the teeth, positioned within the arch and in
relationship of the upper and lower jaw. This provides a reliable record
of unique dental characteristics and captures saliva for DNA
analysis and scent dog tracking.
Note: It will vary in each case as to how long the scent from
the saliva on the
Toothprints™
will be useful to any given dog over
any given time. Yearly updates of
Toothprints™
bite impressions are ideal. In lieu of that, the
following schedule is recommended:
Initial impressions: Age 3 (or after all primary teeth have erupted).
Update: Age 7 or 8 (or after the upper and lower
incisors and the first permanent molars have erupted)
Update:
Age 12 or 13 (or after all permanent teeth, excluding 3rd
molars, have erupted).
