Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
and forensic contexts and consequently represent an excellent repository of information on
the individuals from which they come.
At the species level, the shape and size of teeth as well as dental microwear can be useful in
reconstructing broad dietary categories of different species. Due to the highly heritable
nature of tooth form, the presence or absence of discrete traits and cusp patterns allows
researchers to explore questions of phylogeny (the relatedness of different species) and bio-
logical distance (the evolutionary relationships between populations within humans, for
example). Furthermore, the pace and pattern of tooth development can provide the informa-
tion necessary to assess important species-level developmental and life history traits such as
age at reproductive maturity, interbirth interval, and age at weaning.
At the population level, both distribution of tooth decay as well as micro- and macrowear
can be used to learn more about the diet or activities of a group. Analysis of isotopes that
become incorporated into teeth during their development can provide researchers with infor-
mation about movement and location during life and potentially environmental conditions
as well. Metric and nonmetric assessments of tooth crown morphology can help to distin-
guish between populations. Population health is often assessed through the study of dental
pathologies including caries, periodontal disease, and enamel hypoplasia.
At the level of the individual, a variety of investigative methods exist that allow us to focus
on the unique life history of a person. Age-at-death estimates can be informed by dental
growth and tooth crown wear. Cementum annulations hold promise as yet another way to
calculate age-at-death in adults (
Obertov´ and Francken, 2009
). Questions of ancestry and
sex assessment can be explored through metric and nonmetric methods that describe tooth
shape and size. Dental treatments (e.g., crowns, fillings, and other restorations) and DNA
analysis may be helpful in establishing an individual identification. Tooth development
errors such as enamel hypoplasia can illustrate periods of nutritional or dietary stress in
an individual's early life when the teeth were still forming.
This chapter begins with an overview of dental anatomy including a description of metric
and nonmetricmethods for studying tooth size and shape. Next, a discussion of dental growth
and development follows with a focus on the differences between available imaging tech-
niques. Atypical dental growth and dental disease are then covered. This is followed by infor-
mation on the relevance of molecular and isotopic studies to teeth. Finally, microwear analysis
and its ability to provide insight into diet is presented. This chapter closes with an account of
my own journey from initiation to implementation of a dental anthropology research project.
TEETH: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
The following is a short overview of basic dental growth and anatomy. Those interested in
a more in-depth understanding of the topic should consult Dental Anthropology by Simon
Hillson (1996)
, which remains the most clear and concise text available for students of dental
anthropology. Here, the fundamentals of tooth anatomy as it applies to humans will be
reviewed along with a brief description of tooth developmental processes.
Like other primates, humans are diphyodont, meaning that we all have two sets of teeth
during our lifetimes. First, the deciduous or primary teeth carry an individual through much
of their childhood. The permanent teeth follow and are designed to fulfill masticatory
