A common origin for dental porcelain derived from an accused's hand and the decreased victim of an assault.

A small, solid fragment removed from a wound on a hand of a murder suspect was submitted to electron microprobe analysis and found to have the properties of dental porcelain. A sample of porcelain removed from the dental bridge of the deceased had an essentially similar elemental profile. This investigation assisted the Court by providing valuable objective evidence of a physical contact between the accused and the victim.