Incisor microwear,diet, and tooth use in three Amerindian populations

Incisor microwear patterns have been shown to reflect aspects of diet and ingestive behaviors in a wide range of nonhuman primates. While some studies have suggested that anterior dental microwear might be used to infer unusual front tooth use practices in archaeological populations, quantitative work on modern human incisors has thus far been limited. In this study we examined dental microwear on the maxillary central incisors of three groups of humans: Aleutian Islanders (n = 16), Arikara from the Mobridge Site in South Dakota (n = 15), and a Late Woodland Bluff sample from Jersey County, Illinois (n = 17). High-resolution replicas were prepared and examined by scanning electron microscopy following conventional procedures. Photomicrographs were taken at consistent locations on the labial surface, and microwear was quantified using Microware 3.0 (Ungar, 1997). Statistical test results revealed significant differences among the groups in microwear feature densities, sizes, and shapes. The Aleut, Arikara, and Illinois Bluff samples showed a gradient of increasing microwear density, increasing linearity in feature shape, and decreasing feature size. These differences evidently correspond to amount of meat consumption, and apparently to degree of use of the incisors in heavy loading. No differences were observed between groups in heterogeneity of feature orientations, and no sex-related differences were found. Associations between incisor microwear on the one hand and subsistence practice and anterior tooth use on the other likely have important implications for the study of hominid paleobiology. Am J Phys Anthropol 109:387–396, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Technical note: Applicability of tooth cementum annulation to an archaeological population

The use of tooth cementum annulations for age determination has been deemed promising, exhibiting high correlations with chronological age. Despite its apparent potential, to date, the tooth cementum annulations method has been used rarely for estimating ages in archaeological populations. Here we examine the readability of cementum annulations and the consistency of age estimates using a sample of 116 adults from the Iron Gates Gorge Mesolithic/Neolithic series. Our examination of the method pointed to several sources of error that call into question the use of this method for estimating the chronological ages of archaeologically derived dental samples. The poor performance of the method in our analysis might be explained by taphonomic influences, including the effect of chemical and biological agents on dental microstructures. Am J Phys Anthropol 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

A method for estimating age of Danish medieval sub-adults based on long bone length

The preferred method for aging archaeological sub-adult skeletons is by dental examination. In cases where no dental records are available, age estimation may be performed according to epiphyseal union, skeletal elements or diaphyseal lengths. Currently no data have been produced specifically for aging archaeological Danish sub-adults from the medieval period based on diaphyseal lengths. The problem with using data on Danish samples, which have been derived from a different population, is the possibility of skewing age estimates. In this study 58 Danish archaeological sub-adults were examined, aged from approximately six years to twenty-one years. The samples were aged according to two dental methods: Haavikko and Ubelaker. Regression formulae were constructed for aging according to their diaphyseal lengths both for individual long bones and combinations of upper and lower long bones. This study indicated that with the regression formulae developed, estimation of age can be done with reasonable results on Danish sub-adults. The Danish data were then compared to data from a different archaeological sample and a modern sample. It showed that the modern data indicated a consistently lower age compared to this sample which increased until reaching a maximum of nearly five years and six months. When comparing the archaeological data to this study, the growth profile crossed over at 12.5 years with a maximum age difference before the cross point of two years and three months lower for the archaeological data. After the cross point there was a maximum difference of three years and four months higher for the archaeological data. This study has shown the importance of using data for age estimation for archaeological material which has been developed specifically for that population. In addition it has presented a possible solution for Danish sub-adult material when dental material is not available.     

Dental health of elderly confederate veterans: evidence from the Texas State Cemetery

Analysis of the skeletal remains of 50 Confederate veterans provided a unique opportunity to explore the dental health of a geriatric sample. These men, who died between 1907-1932, had an average age at death of 76.7 years. Ninety percent were institutionalized at the Confederate Home for Men (Austin, TX) prior to their deaths. This elderly sample was assessed in terms of caries, antemortem tooth loss (AMTL), abscesses, and linear enamel hypoplasias. On a per tooth basis, the AMTL rate was 57.2%. Of 39 dentate men, 33 (84.6%) had dental caries, and 24.4% (121 of 496) of teeth were carious. Ten (25.0%) of the dentate men had hypoplastic teeth. At least one abscess was seen in 14 (28%) of 50 individuals. Results from this geriatric institutionalized sample are compared to contemporaneous historical samples. Disparities in dental health among these groups may be due to differences in average age at death, and these comparisons allow a better understanding of dental changes that occur with age. The sample is also compared to modern elderly samples: modern groups have higher caries rates, possibly because they retained more teeth. This finding may be due in part to diets in the United States becoming increasingly cariogenic over time. In addition, dental care has moved from the reactive practices seen in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (such as tooth extractions) to modern proactive solutions dedicated to preserving and restoring teeth (such as tooth brushing, fluoride treatments, and dental fillings).     

The relationship of dental crowding to tooth size, dental arch width, and arch depth

This study was undertaken to answer the question, "Are there any differences in the mesiodistal tooth diameters, dental arch width and dental arch depth between the crowded and noncrowded dentitions?" The materials submitted for study consisted of the Orthoscan intraoral occlusograms of 89 subjects with well-aligned dentition and those of 74 subjects with gross dental crowding. The tooth size and arch dimensions were measured from these intraoral occlusograms. The data were subjected to statistical treatment for comparison of noncrowded and crowded groups. The findings in this study lead to the following conclusions: The mesiodistal tooth diameters of the crowded group were significantly larger than those of the noncrowded group. The dental arch widths of the crowded group were significantly smaller than those of the noncrowded group. No substantial or significant difference in dental arch depth between the crowded and noncrowded subjects could be noted. From these findings it seems that tooth size and dental arch width are determining factors in the formation of dental crowding. Clinically, these results suggest that in the treatment of dental crowding, extraction of teeth and/or expansion of dental arches should be considered depending on what is the main causative factor.     

Tooth wear and dental pathology of the Bronze-Iron Age people in Xinjiang, Northwest China: Implications for their diet and lifestyle

Tooth wear and dental pathology related to diet and lifestyle were investigated in the human dental remains unearthed from three archaeological sites of Bronze Age and Iron Age in Xinjiang of northwest China, and in comparative samples from two Neolithic sites in Henan and Shanxi in central China along the Yellow River.Our results indicate that the average tooth wear on most tooth types in the three Xinjiang sites was close to those of the Neolithic samples from central China. The variation within the Xinjiang samples was also explored. Some special wear patterns such as severe wear on the first molar and relatively heavy wear of anterior teeth were observed on the specimens from the Xinjiang sites. Obvious differences in caries and antemortem tooth loss were found between Xinjiang and comparative samples with higher frequencies of caries observed in samples from central China and higher antemortem tooth loss in samples from the Xinjiang sites. Strongly developed exostoses (tori) were also identified on mandibles and maxillae of the specimens from Xinjiang.The authors believe that the differences in tooth wear and dental pathology between Xinjiang and central China were caused by differences in diet and lifestyle. Food of a harder texture was consumed by the people who lived in Xinjiang than by the people in Henan and Shanxi of central China. The higher occurrence of heavily worn anterior teeth and some other special wear patterns, antemortem tooth loss and presence of exostoses on jaw bones in Xinjiang suggest that the people in Xinjiang lived in a relatively harsh environment, frequently gnawing hard objects, or using teeth as some kind of tools. All these activities put masticatory organs under a heavy load. The differences in caries frequencies between the frontier and central areas of China indicate that food richer in carbohydrates was consumed by the people in the central areas.It is proposed that about 3000-2000 years BP in many areas of frontier Xinjiang, people mainly relied on the type of hunter-gatherer economy with agriculture playing a smaller role in their lifestyle.     

The HOX genes are expressed, in vivo, in human tooth germs: in vitro cAMP exposure of dental pulp cells results in parallel HOX network activation and neuronal differentiation

Homeobox-containing genes play a crucial role in odontogenesis. After the detection of Dlx and Msx genes in overlapping domains along maxillary and mandibular processes, a homeobox odontogenic code has been proposed to explain the interaction between different homeobox genes during dental lamina patterning. No role has so far been assigned to the Hox gene network in the homeobox odontogenic code due to studies on specific Hox genes and evolutionary considerations. Despite its involvement in early patterning during embryonal development, the HOX gene network, the most repeat-poor regions of the human genome, controls the phenotype identity of adult eukaryotic cells. Here, according to our results, the HOX gene network appears to be active in human tooth germs between 18 and 24 weeks of development. The immunohistochemical localization of specific HOX proteins mostly concerns the epithelial tooth germ compartment. Furthermore, only a few genes of the network are active in embryonal retromolar tissues, as well as in ectomesenchymal dental pulp cells (DPC) grown in vitro from adult human molar. Exposure of DPCs to cAMP induces the expression of from three to nine total HOX genes of the network in parallel with phenotype modifications with traits of neuronal differentiation. Our observations suggest that: (i) by combining its component genes, the HOX gene network determines the phenotype identity of epithelial and ectomesenchymal cells interacting in the generation of human tooth germ; (ii) cAMP treatment activates the HOX network and induces, in parallel, a neuronal-like phenotype in human primary ectomesenchymal dental pulp cells.     

Relative contribution of caries and periodontal disease in adult tooth loss among patients reporting to the Institute of Dental Sciences,Belgaum, India

Objectives: To examine the reasons for tooth loss in an adult population. Methods: Patients who reported to the department of prosthodontics in Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, located in the north‐western part of the state of Karnataka, in the southern region of India over a period of 2 months, with at least one missing tooth (excluding third molars) constituted the sample size. There were a total of 365 patients (185 females and 180 males) within the age group of 16–84 years (mean age 51.06 ± 16.47 years) who fulfilled this criterion. Socio‐demographic profile was recorded along with a clinical examination for assessing the number and pattern of tooth loss. The reasons for tooth loss were recorded according to the history reported by the patient. Results: In the present study of 365 patients, 58.9% of the patients were completely edentulous, 41% were partially dentate, of which 20.8% had lost their teeth from caries, 11% from periodontal disease and 9.3% from a combination of reasons. More females had lost their teeth because of dental caries whereas more males had lost their teeth because of periodontal disease, this being statistically significant. (χ² = 16.53, p = 0.001). Highly significant results were obtained for age and reasons for tooth loss. (χ² = 150.39, p < 0.001). Irrespective of the socio‐economic status, dental caries was the most common cause for tooth loss in partially dentate patients though it was not statistically significant (χ² = 13.62, p = 0.325). Mandibular first molars were the teeth most frequently lost due to dental caries. The maxillary left central incisor was most frequently lost due to periodontal disease, followed by the maxillary right central incisor. Conclusions: Since both dental caries and periodontal disease contributed to tooth loss at different ages, risk indicators need to be identified.     

The reasons for tooth loss in geriatric patients attending two surgical clinics in Jerusalem,Israel.

Abstract Objectives Numerous studies around the world have been conducted in order to understand the reasons for tooth extractions in various age groups. Most studies have dealt with the general adult population but little attention has been paid to the elderly population. In Israel, as in most of the western countries, the elderly population is growing rapidly and thus demands for its dental needs are also increasing. In order to meet the dental requirements of the geriatric population, data on the main reasons of tooth mortality have been collected. Design Retrospective analysis of reasons for extraction divided into three categories: caries, periodontal disease and “other’’. Subjects The files of 302 consecutive elderly patients aged 65-95 years attending for extraction. The cause for tooth extraction was gathered from the written diagnosis described by the operator as well as from radiographs. Setting Two surgical clinics in Jerusalem serving low income residents. Results Results indicated that 30% of the extractions were due to caries, 65% were due to periodontal disease and only 6.4% related to “other’’ reasons. In both, males and females, periodontal disease was the major cause for tooth loss yet, females exhibited more extractions due to caries than males (35%vs 23% respectively). A relatively high incidence of tooth loss was documented for the 85+ age group. Of the teeth that were extracted, incisors and molars were equally the most frequent (29%) followed by premolars (26%) and canines (17%). Premolars were the teeth most frequently extracted out of the teeth removed due to caries (32%) whereas incisors were the most frequently removed within the group of teeth extracted due to periodontal disease (31%). Conclusions The results of this study point to the importance of prevention and treatment of dental diseases, particularly periodontal disease, in adults aged 0 years and above in order to prevent tooth loss in their later years.     

A new spalacolestine mammal from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota and implications for the morphology,phylogeny, and palaeobiology of Laurasian ‘symmetrodontans’

‘Symmetrodontans’ are extinct mammals characterized by having a reversed‐triangle molar pattern in which three main cusps define a triangular molar crown. This dental morpholgy has been regarded as being intermediate between the ‘triconodont’ tooth and the tribosphenic pattern characterizing therians; it is a key feature in taxonomy of Mesozoic mammals and one to understand mammalian evolution and palaeobiology. Here we report a new genus and species of ‘symmetrodontan’ mammal, Lactodens sheni, from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota, represented by a partial skeleton with dentary and upper and lower teeth with dental morphologies well‐preserved. The new species has a dental formula of three upper incisors, one canine, three premolars, and six molars/three lower incisors, one canine, five premolars and six lower molars, double‐rooted canines, extremely low‐crowned and transversely thin premolars, and acute angled molars. The dental morphologies of molars and peculiar deciduous premolars are similar to those of Spalacolestes from North America. The associated upper and lower dentitions from one individual animal helped to clarify tooth identification of some spalacotheriids represented only by fragmentary material. Phylogenetic analyses indicate a close relationship of the new species to North American spalacolestines and faunal interchanges between Eurasia and North America, thus supporting the notion that small‐bodied spalacotheriids were diverse and had a pan‐Laurasian distribution during the Early Cretaceous. Absence of the Meckelian groove suggests acquisition of the definitive mammalian middle ear in spalacolestines, and deciduous canines and premolars in the slim and extremely long dentary imply a faunivorous diet.     

Oral health of the Paleoamericans of Lagoa Santa,central Brazil

The peopling, origins, and early prehistory of the Americas are topics of intense debate. However, few studies have used human remains to document and interpret patterns of health and lifestyle of Paleoamericans. This study provides the first investigation to characterize oral health in a series of early Holocene skeletal remains from Lagoa Santa, Brazil, a locality containing the remains of some of the earliest inhabitants of South America (10,000–7,000 BP). The sample is composed of 949 teeth and 1925 alveoli from an estimated 113 individuals excavated from 17 archaeological sites located in the State of Minas Gerais. We compare dental caries and abscess prevalence at Lagoa Santa to a large sample of human skeletons from the Western Hemisphere Project (WHP) database using both individual and tooth/alveolus count methods. In addition, antemortem tooth loss and tooth wear were analyzed in Lagoa Santa by sex and age. The results show that Lagoa Santa dental caries and abscess prevalence are significantly higher than observed among other hunter–gatherers included in the WHP database, except when abscess prevalence is considered by individual count. Adult females have less tooth wear coupled with higher prevalence of dental caries and antemortem tooth loss than adult males. These results point to an unexpected record of poor oral health at Lagoa Santa, especially among females. A diet based on a highly cariogenic combination of wild tubers and fruits is suggested as an explanation for the elevated rate, characterizing an early adaptation to a tropical environment in South America. Am J Phys Anthropol 154:11–26, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Heterochrony and tooth evolution in hyperodapedontine rhynchosaurs (Reptilia, Diapsida)

The tooth arrangement of hyperodapedontine rhynchosaurs shows clear patterns of morphological derivation, which can be summarized as three main apomorphic trends: the increase in the number of tooth rows lateral to the main maxillary groove, the loss of dental structures (medial groove and lingual teeth) medial to the main maxillary groove, and the loss of dental structures (medial crest and lingual teeth) medial to the main dentary crest. The analysis of these trends from a heterochronic viewpoint reveals that acceleration was the most probable process involved in the increase in number of the lateral maxillary tooth rows, while the loss of the medial structures of the maxilla and dentary seem to be related respectively to neoteny and post-displacement. Both peramorphic and paedomorphic processes are, therefore, thought to have directed the main modifications seen in the tooth arrangement of the hyperodapedontine rhynchosaurs. Heterochrony plays an important role in the evolution of the Late Triassic rhynchosaurs, which are differentiated mainly on the basis of their dental morphology.     

Tooth replacement rates in early chondrichthyans: a qualitative approach

The continuous replacement of teeth throughout their lifetime is a common characteristic of most chondrichthyans. This process was already present in the earliest representatives of the group. It has been well established that different species of extant sharks show rapid tooth replacement rates; however, some authors have suggested that in early chondrichthyans this rate might have been much slower. Here we present a qualitative approach to analyse tooth replacement rates in the Early Devonian shark Leonodus carlsi , the earliest tooth-bearing shark known to date. For this, we have examined 1,103 isolated teeth from Celtiberia, Spain. Our study provides strong evidences of an extremely slow dental replacement in this primitive chondrichthyan based on three independents analyses: (1) statistical analysis of the wear degree, demonstrating that teeth remain functional for a long period of time; (2) analysis of both the histological and the morphological features of the teeth cusps suggests that this chondrichthyan used a maturation process that optimizes its function, thus worn teeth show an efficient working shape that implies their teeth remained functional for a long time after being modelled by use; and (3) estimations of size increments between teeth (Δs) of the same dental family for some recent sharks whose rates of replacement were known prove that Δs is inversely proportional to the rate of replacement ( R ² = 0.8327). The estimated values of tooth replacement rates obtained from Δs for L. carlsi and for some Late Devonian cladoselachian sharks are significatively slower than those observed in current sharks.     

Dental reduction in post-pleistocene Nubia

Tooth size changes among Nubian archaeological populations dating from the Mesolithic through the Christian era, a period of approximately 12,000 years, are analyzed. Standard length and breadth dimensions of all permanent teeth from several cultural horizons are combined to form three large samples: Mesolithic, 10000-70000 B.C.; Agriculturalist, 3300-1100 B.C. (A-group, C-group, Pharaonic); and Intensive Agriculturalist, A.D. 0-1400 (Meroitic, X-Group, Christian). Such information not only fills a void in the knowledge of Nubian skeletal biology, but also provides a much needed African reference point for the comparison of tooth size data among anatomically modern Homo sapiens from various regions of the world. Changes in mean tooth size and associated t-tests reveal strong and significant reduction in dental size between the Mesolithic and Agriculturalist samples, followed by a continued although diminished trend of reduction for only the molar teeth between the two Agriculturalist groups. These patterns are best observed by examining tooth breadths, which are considered as the most reliable indicator of tooth size. Previously published odontometrics of the Nubian Mesolithic are briefly compared to the findings of this diachronic analysis of Nubian dental change.     

Dental paleopathology in a Serbian Medieval population.

Analysis of the pattern of dental disease in two Late Medieval populations from cemeteries excavated at archaeological sites in western Serbia was based on the study of tooth wear, ante-mortem tooth loss, caries, dental enamel hypoplasia, alveolar resorption, abscesses and calculus. The findings reported here show a high prevalence of attrition, alveolar resorption and caries, which suggest an abrasive diet and poor oral hygiene.     

Tooth regeneration from newly established cell lines from a molar tooth germ epithelium

In order to investigate tooth development, several cell lines of the dental epithelium and ectomesenchyme have been established. However, no attempt has been reported to regenerate teeth with cell lines. Here, we have established several clonal cell lines of the dental epithelium from a p53-deficient fetal mouse. They expressed specific markers of the dental epithelium such as ameloblastin and amelogenin. A new method has been developed to bioengineer tooth germs with dental epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Reconstructed tooth germs with cell lines and fetal mesenchymal cells were implanted under kidney capsule. The germs regenerated teeth with well-calcified structures as seen in natural tooth. Germs without the cell lines developed bone. This is the first success to regenerate teeth with dental epithelial cell lines. They are useful models in vitro for investigation of mechanisms in morphogenesis and of cell lineage in differentiation, and for clinical application for tooth regeneration.     

Age and perception of dental appearance and tooth colour

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of satisfaction with dental appearance and own tooth colour in the UK and investigate the impact of ageing on these perceptions. Methods: Data about ageing and satisfaction with dental appearance and tooth colour was gathered by means of a questionnaire completed at face‐to‐face interview. The questionnaire was first tested and then used by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) in a stratified random sample of adults drawn from the UK. A total of 3384 adults were interviewed. Results: Three quarters of the population were satisfied with their own dental appearance and two‐thirds were satisfied with their tooth colour. Subjects over the age of 55 were significantly more likely to be satisfied with their dental appearance and tooth colour (p < 0.05) compared with younger age groups. Conclusions: Ageing is not necessarily associated with negative self‐perception of dental appearance or tooth colour. Greater dissatisfaction with dental appearance or colour in younger ages may suggest that perceived appearance is linked to cognitive factors other than social or cultural ones.     

Temporospatial tissue interactions regulating the regeneration of the enamel knot in the developing mouse tooth

The enamel knot (EK), which is a transient signaling center in the tooth germ, regulates both the differential growth of the dental epithelium and the tooth shape. In this study, the regeneration of the EK was evaluated. The EK regions were removed from the E14 and E16 dental epithelia, and the remaining epithelia were recombined with their original dental mesenchymes. All these tooth germs could develop into calcified teeth after being transplanted into the kidney capsule for 3 weeks. One primary EK was regenerated earlier, and two or three secondary EKs were regenerated later in culture. When simply recombined without removing the EK, the tooth germ, which had four secondary EKs and four cuspal areas of the dental papilla, generated one primary EK first and subsequent secondary EKs. These results indicate that the patterning of the EK in all tooth germs always starts from a primary EK independent of the direct epithelial or mesenchymal control. This suggests that neither the dental epithelium nor the dental mesenchyme can dictate the pattern or number of the EK formation, but the interaction between the dental epithelium and the dental mesenchyme is essential for the regeneration and patterning of the EKs.