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Gradients of occlusal wear in hunter‐gatherers and agriculturalists
Author(s) -
Deter Christina A.
Publication year - 2009
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/ajpa.20922
Subject(s) - tooth wear , molar , maxillary central incisor , dentistry , anterior teeth , orthodontics , posterior teeth , medicine
Occlusal wear was recorded in maxillary teeth from three North American late Archaic (3385 ± 365 cal BC) hunter‐gatherer sites ( n = 306) and late Anasazi‐early Zuni agricultural sites (∼1300 AD) ( n = 87). Comparisons were undertaken using descriptive and inferential statistics to determine differences between these groups, and along the maxillary tooth row. The hunter‐gatherers had a significantly greater percentage of occlusal wear than the agriculturalists. For both hunter‐gatherers and agriculturalists, occlusal wear was greatest on the central incisors and first molars. The third molars had the least amount of wear. It was inferred from these results that the hunter‐gatherers had a more abrasive diet, and different daily task activities compared to the agriculturalists. One further finding was that wear patterns on anterior and posterior teeth are influenced by the order that teeth erupt into the jaw, as well as diet and behavior. Am J Phys Anthropol 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.