Texas moved to the brink Thursday of becoming the first state to formally call for a ban on bite mark evidence, which could influence judges across the U.S. and whether they will accept the disputed forensic science in courtrooms.

The Texas Forensic Science Commission signaled it would recommend a moratorium on using bite mark evidence pending more research after several members, who have been scrutinizing the practice for months, agreed to bring their skepticism before the full board.

The commission cannot outright ban bite mark evidence. But a state scientific agency recommending even a temporary halt to the use of bite mark evidence would be unprecedented, legal experts say, and cause prosecutors and judges across the country to take notice.

At least two dozen men convicted or charged with murder or rape based on bite marks have been exonerated nationwide since 2000. There is no scientific proof that teeth can be definitively matched to human skin, and critics say it is long overdue that the practice joins other discredited evidence such as bullet-lead analysis and microscopic hair analysis. more