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Brief communication: Prehistoric dentistry in the American Southwest: A drilled canine from Sky Aerie, Colorado
Author(s) -
White Tim D.,
Degusta David,
Richards Gary D.,
Baker Steven G.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-8644(199707)103:3<409::aid-ajpa10>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - prehistory , archaeology , native american , dentistry , mandibular canine , geology , orthodontics , geography , medicine , history , ethnology
A prehistoric Native American mandible from a Fremont site (circa AD 1025) in Colorado has a conical pit in the worn occlusal surface of the lower right canine. Natural causes for this modification are ruled out by the presence of internal striae, a finding confirmed by experimental replication. The canine was artificially drilled before the individual's death and is associated with a periapical abscess. This is one of a very few examples of prehistoric dentistry in the world, and the first from the American Southwest. Am J Phys Anthropol 103:409–414, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.