当代水族男性的牙齿磨耗特点及其成因北大核心CSCDCSSCI

一直以来,有关人类牙齿磨耗的研究主要集中在年龄判定和生业方式比较方面。然而,很多研究因样本人群来源复杂、忽视个体牙齿磨耗的特殊性及缺乏足够的个人信息,很难进一步解释其牙齿磨耗特点的成因。本文基于对当代水族男性牙齿磨耗的记录和相关信息,通过梳理该人群牙齿磨耗的一般特点和特殊磨耗形式,探讨了有关影响该人群牙齿磨耗的可能因素。笔者发现,总体来说,该人群的牙齿磨耗较轻,牙齿磨耗水平与其年龄分布呈正相关关系,符合人类牙齿面随年龄增长而发生退行性生理磨耗的规律。牙齿磨耗等级在不同年龄中呈镶嵌式分布,某些个体存在越位磨耗现象。从本文的结果看,这些现象的产生除了退行性生理磨耗的原因外,还可能与口腔健康状况、饮食结构和少餐习惯等因素密切相关。     

同口牙齿的磨耗级比较

本文比较和分析了同口同侧牙齿的相应的磨耗级,提供了除臼齿以外的牙齿磨耗年龄变化依据。同时还对上下对应牙、两侧对称牙的磨耗级作了比较和分析。     

安徽巢湖早期智人的牙齿磨耗和早期智人前部齿工具机能假说

巢湖早期智人的前部齿重度磨耗较大可能是与前部齿行使习惯上的非咀嚼性机能和经常啃咬坚韧的食物有关。如果早期智人前部齿的工具机能被理解为既包括非咀嚼性的也包括咀嚼性的,则早期智人前部齿工具机能假说可用来解释巢湖早期智人的前部齿重度磨耗现象,而巢湖早期智人将是出自东亚的支持这一假说的首例化石材料。     

军都山古代人群牙齿磨耗及其饮食

以军都山墓地为代表的"玉皇庙文化"系中国北方青铜时代的一支具有鲜明地方特色的少数部族文化。本文对军都山墓地出土人骨牙齿标本作牙齿磨耗状况分析,试图为其饮食结构和社会经济形态的探讨提供线索。结果显示:军都山古代人群中,相同年龄组的男女两性牙齿磨耗差异不大;前部牙齿磨耗轻于后部臼齿,第一臼齿磨耗最重;臼齿磨耗样式大多呈现"正常平匀"式,臼齿磨耗角度大多较小,两者均随年龄而变化但没有显著的性别差异。经与其他样本组的对比认为军都山古代人群牙齿磨耗的特点可能与其社会经济农牧兼营的性质有关,推测动物性食物(肉食)可能在军都山古代人群主要饮食结构中占据重要比例,并包含有一定的农业经济成分。不同游牧人群牙齿磨耗程度差异较大,只有结合了磨耗形态及其他信息才有可能更切实地反映其饮食状况。     

湖北郧县青龙泉新石器时代居民牙齿磨耗及健康状况

位于湖北省郧县境内的青龙泉遗址出土有仰韶、屈家岭和石家河等不同文化类型遗存, 被认为是中国新石器时代南、北文化交流的过渡地带。有关学者通过考古发现和同位素测试分析认为, 生活在青龙泉遗址的新石器时代居民已经具有发达的农业、家畜饲养业和渔猎,稻粟农业和肉类对居民的食物构成都有贡献, 但并不确定农业或渔猎是否占主导地位。本文通过对87例个体1075枚青龙泉新石器时代居民牙齿的磨耗、龋齿病、牙齿生前脱落、颌骨粗壮程度的观察、分析和对比, 试图从另一个侧面提供当时居民食物构成和经济模式的信息。本研究发现, 相比于其他中国新石器时代人类, 青龙泉居民的牙齿磨耗程度总体偏轻、臼齿磨耗角度多呈倾斜状、龋齿病出现率高、与生活状态相关的牙齿生前脱落出现率低、颌骨粗壮程度不明显。这些发现提示居民的食物较精细,加工程度高, 富含碳水化合物。基于本文发现, 作者认为农业经济在距今5000年左右的长江中游地区已经比较发达, 在居民食物构成中居主导地位,居民可能已经具有较高的食物制作加工技术。     

湖北郧西黄龙洞更新世晚期人类牙齿磨耗与使用痕迹

对2004—2006年在黄龙洞发现的7枚人类牙齿磨耗与使用痕迹的观察显示: 除具有正常牙齿相互接触造成的磨耗外, 黄龙洞人类牙齿还呈现出一些特殊的使用痕迹, 包括明显的前部牙齿釉质破损与崩裂、上颌侧门齿齿冠唇面釉质破损、上颌前部牙齿齿间邻接面沟等。根据这些牙齿使用痕迹集中在前部牙齿, 釉质破损与崩裂主要分布在靠近切缘的上颌门齿唇面及下颌门齿舌面的情况, 推测生活在黄龙洞的更新世晚期人类经常使用前部牙齿从事啃咬、叼衔、或剥离等动作, 并可能将前部牙齿作为工具使用。分布在前部牙齿的齿间邻接面沟提示当时人类经常从事剔牙活动。黄龙洞人类前部牙齿的使用痕迹与当时人类获取、处理及食用附着在骨骼上的筋或肉的动作密切相关, 当时人类的食物构成中可能包含有较多的肉类及粗纤维植物。     

鲤鱼墩遗址出土人牙的牙齿磨耗和龋齿

距今约6000年以前, 华南先民以渔猎采集经济为主, 并辅之以块茎植物种植的观点已为学界所共识。这种类型的生业方式与长江中下游、华北及其以北地区有着较大的区别。这不仅反映在遗址出土的动植物遗存和生产工具的不同, 也体现在出土人骨体质特征的差异上。后者已初步为C、N稳定同位素的比较研究所证实。本文则利用鲤鱼墩遗址出土的人牙,从牙齿磨耗和龋齿两方面考察上述差异。     

郑州汪沟遗址仰韶文化居民的牙齿磨耗及口腔健康状况

对汪沟遗址出土的174例仰韶文化居民的2816枚牙齿进行统计与分析,计算出牙齿的平均磨耗等级和前后部牙齿磨耗差别指数,统计特殊磨耗、龋齿、骨质隆起在样本中的出现率。结果显示,汪沟组牙齿平均磨耗等级为3.403262级,男性牙齿平均磨耗等级为3.63级,女性为3.61级;男女两性牙齿磨耗差异不显著(p>0.05);前后部牙齿磨耗差别指数比达到1:1;出现26例由于深覆■导致的特殊磨耗;臼齿咬合面凹坑式磨耗出现率为2.50%;龋齿患病率68.97%,龋齿率26.56%,龋均4.30;骨质隆起的出现率为5.20%,颌骨粗壮程度不显著。汪沟人群的牙齿磨耗程度总体偏轻,牙齿磨耗程度与河南下王岗组居民接近。基于以上特点,我们认为中原地区仰韶文化人群在饮食结构和用牙习惯上存在一定的共性。     

新疆且末扎滚鲁克墓地二期居民的牙齿磨耗

本文对新疆且末扎滚鲁克墓地二期出土208例头骨上的1849枚牙齿进行了观察与研究。将所有个体按照年龄和性别分组,通过计算每个个体上颌或下颌骨上各牙齿相对第1臼齿的磨耗指数,分析各组之间相对磨耗指数的分布差异。经过与国内外不同人群的对比,对扎滚鲁克居民的牙齿磨耗模式特点以及可能存在的牙齿使用方式、行为特征等内容进行了初步探讨。结果显示,该人群的牙齿磨耗随着年龄增长显著增加,不同年龄组人群之间前后牙齿磨耗情况有很大的差异,牙齿磨耗在性别间差异并不显著。下颌个体出现了较为普遍的前牙磨耗比后牙偏严重的现象,这种现象主要集中在中年组下颌上。这种不寻常的下颌前牙磨耗较后牙偏重现象可能受到牙齿的工具性使用,牙齿萌出顺序以及年龄三方面因素共同作用的影响;中年个体下颌前牙磨耗的偏重现象可能反映了人群的行为特征。     

新疆吐鲁番加依墓地青铜—早期铁器时代居民牙齿的磨耗

本文对新疆吐鲁番市加依墓地青铜—早期铁器时代居民的牙齿磨耗、口腔疾病和骨质隆起等特征进行了观察与研究,结果显示,加依墓地居民的牙齿磨耗较重,但前后部牙齿的磨耗程度差异不大,臼齿偏斜式磨耗现象显著,龋齿罹患率偏低。生前脱落、牙结石等口腔疾病在该人群中普遍流行,部分个体的下颌存在发育显著的骨质隆起现象。本文还通过臼齿磨耗方向指数(Wear Orientation)对加依墓地居民的偏斜式磨耗进行了量化研究,并参考相关民族学调查、考古发现以及现代医学研究成果对加依墓地居民复杂的牙齿磨耗形态和口腔疾病的成因进行了初步探讨。推测加依墓地居民的食物结构应以肉类为主,谷类亦占有一定地位;此外可能是受到恶劣生活环境及特殊谷物加工技术的影响,日常食物较为坚硬。     

Patterns of dental wear in the Lengua Indians of Paraguay

Wear patterns were examined on dental casts of 202 living Lengua Indians from the Chaco area of Paraguay. Consideration was given to the development of the molar helicoidal plane, age-related changes in occlusal attrition, coalescence of dentine exposures, interproximal attrition, and erupted crown height. This study lends support to Osborn's theory of the helicoidal plane development by showing that attrition enhances rather than modifies posteruption molar occlusal planes. The rate of interproximal attrition was found to slow down with the eruption and functional initiation of the third molars. Sinuous and cavo-convex interproximal contact areas that are generated with age, however, appeared to be less abrasion resistant than straight surfaces, hence leading to an increase in interproximal attrition rates with advanced age. Maximum crown height reduction occurred between the ages of 20 and 40 years in central incisors, canines, and first molars. Kruskal-Wallis tests and log linera models failed to demonstrate significant sexually dimorphic or antimeric differences in wear patterns of Lengua teeth.     

Patterns of dental wear and the role of the canine in Cercopithecinae.

The importance of dental wear patterns in understanding masticatory functions in primates has long been appreciated. However, studies of wear patterns among populations of nonhuman primates are few. The purpose of this investigation is to establish the developmental aspects of dental wear in the Cercopithecinae and to describe certain relevant morphological traits. Studies were made of dental casts from 200 primate specimens of Macaca nemestrina, Macaca mulatta, and Papio cynocephalus. These casts were taken at four-month intervals, beginning at two years of age and continuing over a period of six to seven years. The wear pattern starts with the rounding and eventual flattening of the protoconid and protocone of the erupted first molars. Once this stage is reached, the hypoconid and metaconid of the mandibular, and the hypocone and paracone of the maxillary molars are rounded and eventually flattened. This pattern is maintained until the cusp tips are removed and the dentin exposed, however, the entoconid and metacone are not subjected to significant wear at this stage. Analysis of these dental casts and museum specimens has provided data on the development of dental wear during the maturation of these primates. The distribution of forces acting upon the teeth produce diagnostic patterns of wear, which provide evidence of the force location and magnitude. In examining the data, the hypothesis of canine guidance and its limitation of mandibular motion was evaluated. Specimens whose canines were removed demonstrate that the canines play no significant role in the development or maintenance of dental wear planes.     

Dental use wear in extinct lemurs: evidence of diet and niche differentiation

A new technique for molar use-wear analysis is applied to samples of all 16 species of extinct lemurs with known dentitions, as well as to a large comparative sample of extant primates. This technique, which relies on the light refractive properties of wear pits and scratches as seen under a standard stereoscopic microscope, has shown itself to be effective in distinguishing the diets of ungulates and extant primates. We draw dietary inferences for each of the 16 extinct lemur species in our database. There is a strong phylogenetic signal, with the Palaeopropithecidae showing use-wear signatures similar to those of the Indriidae; extinct lemurids (Pachylemur spp.) showing striking similarities to extant lemurids (except Hapalemur spp.); and Megaladapis showing similarities to Lepilemur spp. Only the Archaeolemuridae have dietary signatures unlike those of any extant lemurs, with the partial exception of Daubentonia. We conclude that the Archaeolemuridae were hard-object feeders; the Palaeopropithecidae were seed predators, consuming a mixed diet of foliage and fruit to varying degrees; Pachylemur was a fruit-dominated mixed feeder, but not a seed predator; and all Megaladapis were leaf browsers. There is no molar use wear evidence that any of the extinct lemurs relied on terrestrial foods (C4 grasses, tubers, rhizomes). This has possible implications for the role of the disappearance of wooded habitats in the extinction of lemurs.     

Dental wear in the Libben population: Its functional pattern and role in the determination of adult skeletal age at death

Modal patterns of occlusal attrition are presented for the Libben population based on a sample of 332 adult dentitions. Maxillas and mandibles were reviewed independently by seriation prior to assessment of complete dentitions. The Spearman rank order coefficient for upper and lower dentitions was.96. Wear patterns are very similar to those reported by Murphy (1959a: Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 17:167–178) for Australian aborigines. There were no significant sexual differences in wear rate. Dental wear is concluded to be a highly reliable and important indicator of adult age at death for skeletal populations if seriation procedures are employed.     

Severe wear and tooth loss in wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta): a function of feeding ecology, dental structure, and individual life history

The ring-tailed lemurs at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar, exhibit a high frequency of severe wear and antemortem tooth loss. As part of a long-term study, we collected dental data on 83 living adult ring-tailed lemurs during 2003 and 2004. Among these individuals, 192 teeth were scored as absent. The most frequently missing tooth position is M1 (24%). As M1 is the first tooth to erupt, its high frequency of absence (primarily a result of wear) is not remarkable. However, the remaining pattern of tooth loss does not correlate with the sequence of eruption. We suggest that this pattern is a function of 1) feeding ecology, as hard, tough tamarind fruit is a key fallback food of ring-tailed lemurs living in gallery forests; 2) food processing, as tamarind fruit is primarily processed in the P3-M1 region of the mouth; and 3) tooth structure, as ring-tailed lemurs possess thin dental enamel. The incongruity between thin enamel and use of a hard, tough fallback food suggests that ring-tailed lemurs living in riverine gallery forests may rely on resources not used in the past. When comparing dental health in the same individuals (n=50) between 2003 and 2004, we found that individual tooth loss can show a rapid increase over the span of one year, increasing by as much as 20%. Despite this rapid loss, individuals are able to survive, sometimes benefiting from unintentional assistance from conspecifics, from which partially processed tamarind fruit is obtained. Although less frequent in this population, these longitudinal data also illustrate that ring-tailed lemurs lose teeth due to damage and disease, similar to other nonhuman primates. The relationship between tooth loss, feeding ecology, dental structure, and individual life history in this population has implications for interpreting behavior based on tooth loss in the hominid fossil record.     

Oral health and treatment needs in a non-institutionalized elderly population: Experience of a dental school associated geriatric clinic

The purpose of this study is to report oral and dental findings in a population of independent geriatric patients, who were treated at the Geriatric Dental Clinic, School of Dental Medicine, Tel Aviv University. The study group consisted of 221 patients, 31.2% males and 68.8% females. The mean age was 75.3 years. Of the patients, 75% were edentulous. The most frequent complaint was pain associated with wear of dentures, and the most frequent mucosal lesion was traumatic ulcer (51%). Most dentures were of poor quality (77%). The mean denture age was 9.7 years, increasing as the patient's age increased. Denture hygiene was good in 59%, fair in 11% and poor in 30%. The mean number of visits at the Geriatric Clinic was 5.5 per patient.     

Immunomodulatory properties of dental tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells: Implication in disease and tissue regeneration

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered as an attractive tool for tissue regeneration and possess a strong immunomodulatory ability. Dental tissue-derived MSCs can be isolated from different sources, such as the dental pulp, periodontal ligament, deciduous teeth, apical papilla, dental follicles and gingiva. According to numerous in vitro studies, the effect of dental MSCs on immune cells might depend on several factors, such as the experimental setting, MSC tissue source and type of immune cell preparation. Most studies have shown that the immunomodulatory activity of dental MSCs is strongly upregulated by activated immune cells. MSCs exert mostly immunosuppressive effects, leading to the dampening of immune cell activation. Thus, the reciprocal interaction between dental MSCs and immune cells represents an elegant mechanism that potentially contributes to tissue homeostasis and inflammatory disease progression. Although the immunomodulatory potential of dental MSCs has been extensively investigated in vitro, its role in vivo remains obscure. A few studies have reported that the MSCs isolated from inflamed dental tissues have a compromised immunomodulatory ability. Moreover, the expression of some immunomodulatory proteins is enhanced in periodontal disease and even shows some correlation with disease severity. MSC-based immunomodulation may play an essential role in the regeneration of different dental tissues. Therefore, immunomodulation-based strategies may be a very promising tool in regenerative dentistry.     

Ancient teeth and modern human origins: an expanded comparison of African Plio-Pleistocene and recent world dental samples

Previous research by the first author revealed that, relative to other modern peoples, sub-Saharan Africans exhibit the highest frequencies of ancestral (or plesiomorphic) dental traits and, thus, appear to be least derived dentally from an ancestral hominin state. This determination, in conjunction with various other lines of dental morphological evidence, was interpreted to be supportive of an African origin for modern humans. The present investigation expands upon this work by using: 1) direct observations of fossil hominin teeth, rather than data gleaned from published sources, 2) a single morphological scoring system (the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System) with consistent trait breakpoints, and 3) data from larger and more varied modern human comparative samples. As before, a multivariate distance statistic, the mean measure of divergence, was used to assess diachronic phenetic affinities among the Plio-Pleistocene hominins and modern humans. The present study also employed principal components analysis on dental trait frequencies across samples. Both methods yielded similar results, which support the previous findings; that is, of all modern human samples, sub-Saharan Africans again exhibit the closest phenetic similarity to various African Plio-Pleistocene hominins-through their shared prevalence of morphologically complex crown and root traits. The fact that sub-Saharan Africans express these apparently plesiomorphic characters, along with additional information on their affinity to other modern populations, evident intra-population heterogeneity, and a world-wide dental cline emanating from the sub-continent, provides further evidence that is consistent with an African origin model.     

贵州毕节韦家洞古人类遗址年代测定及人牙的形态学意义

2007年贵州毕节韦家洞首次发现古人类活动遗物。2016～2018年对遗址做深入考察,发现韦家洞是一个严重破坏的晚更新世古人类遗址,在深度破坏的扰乱层中出土了大量古人类活动证据,包括石制品、动物烧骨和人类牙齿,2018年在洞口和洞内深处发现残留的原生文化层。本文报告了韦家洞原生文化层的¹⁴C年代测定结果,距今1.2～2.7万年前,属于晚更新世末期。同时,观察描述了韦家洞出土的一枚古人类上颌第四前臼齿化石,对牙齿形态测量进行了研究比较,发现韦家洞人牙测量值落在现代中国人变异范围内,牙冠咬合面及釉质-齿质交界面EDJ形态简单,牙根短,根管简单纤细,与现代人相似。牙冠颊舌径大,具有三角形隆起和齿带,牙冠颊侧和舌侧均有垂直沟,近中和远中缘有边缘副结节,牙根中部膨大,这些特征显示了韦家洞人牙形态的原始性。综合比较国内外出土的古人类上颌第四前臼齿的形态特点及其演化趋势,结合遗址年代测定结果,我们认为韦家洞出土的人类上颌第四前臼齿形态特点体现了古人类牙齿演化的镶嵌性,为晚更新世东亚早期现代人的形态变异及其演化增添了新证据。