A high contrast film technique previously primarily used in the graphic art field, has been refined and applied to forensic odontology. The process, called toneline, reduces the interpretational bias of the investigator and yields a transparent overlay with a photographic outline of the bite mark that can be directly compared with models of the suspect's teeth. This procedure has already proven itself to be a valuable tool in a child abuse case where it has been accepted in evidence (Leonard Bradley Sr. vs. State of Ohio). The toneline photograph along with the already accepted procedure of drawing the mark on an acetate overlay allowed the judge to come to the decision that the defendant had made the bites. However, there are problems with it inasmuch as there is a loss of detail in shadows and the technique doesn't always work. It is a powerful tool which can be easily duplicated. Its value lies in its ease of implementation as well as its aid to a judge and/or a jury. 11 figures, 25 references.