Tooth Eruption and Function in an Early Anglo-Saxon Population

Abstract

Chronic inflammatory periodontal disease has become the most prevalent human malady due mainly to the effects of soft diet texture allowing the accumulation of bacteria in relation to the gingival margin (Newman 1974). So widespread is this disease, that is is difficult to find a human population exhibiting physiologic dental and periodontal function. It is usually necessary, as in the present study, to have recourse to the jaw remains of ancient or primitive groups. which had masticated food of natural texture. Generally these show minimal pathologic changes typical of 'civilized' populations consuming soft diet. Other mammals also show increasing severity of chronic inflammatory periodontal disease when subjected to diets differing in texture, but not chemical content, from those of equivalent groups consuming such foods in their natural form (Egelberg 1965, Hatt et al. 1968).

Tooth wear and the ?design? of the human dentition: A perspective from evolutionary medicine

“…Although possible mandibular lengthening due to continuing bone growth at the condyle (Murphy, 1958;Hylander, 1977) may explain these results partly, the magnitude of detected changes and other evidence (see text and Hylander, 1977) indicate mesial drift of molars. change is evident) with wear or age during adulthood (Hylander, 1977;Murphy, 1959;Newman and Levers, 1979;Levers and Darling, 1983;Whittaker et al, 1985;Varrela et al, 1989;Tallgren and Solow, 1991). Clarke and Hirsch (1991) suggested that periodontal disease is identified usually in dried skulls as localized alveolar bone defects or modifications around individual teeth.…”

“…Continuous eruption of mandibular premolars and molars with wear or age was detected in cephalometric studies of inferior alveolar canal-root apex (IAC-AP) and IAC-CEJ distances for RomanoBritish, Anglo-Saxon, and medieval populations from Britain (Newman and Levers, 1979;Levers and Darling, 1983;Whittaker et al, 1985), and for another medieval population (Varrela et al, 1989). In addition, continuous eruption of the maxillary and mandibular second premolars was detected in Indian Knoll skulls from the USA (ca.…”

Gingival Recession in Orthodontics: A Review

“…In this study, only a weak negative correlation was found between eruption and attrition (Spearman's rho = -0.15). However, in other similar studies on human skulls, stronger correlations have been found, such as in the studies by Newman and Levers [33], [34]Levers and Darling [34] and Whittaker et al [35]. Therefore, it is possible that as we age, if there is significant attrition and compensatory eruption, it may be a contributing factor in recession.…”

Orthodontics: Fast and furious

“…6,7 Not that we should ever forget the roots (no pun intended) of our common chronic inflammatory periodontal disease group, although assessment in ancient populations is undoubtedly best done when one uses, for example, Miles' method of ageing and Darling and Levers' methods of assessing eruption and bone height, which provided the evidence for the widespread nature of both caries and the chronic inflammatory periodontal diseases. 8 H. N. Newman London…”