Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
ABSTRACT
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.
Dental attrition has been intensively studied in a number of ways (Broca, 1879; Campbell and Lewis, 1926; Campbell, 1930; 1938ac; 1939a-e; Davies and Pedersen, 1955; Pedersen, 1938; Devoto et al., 1971; Goldberg et
al, 1976; Johnston and Snow 1961; Lavelle,
1970; Molnar, 1971; Morris, 1978; Mayhew,
1978; Murphy, 1959a; Smith, 1972; Taylor,
1963). More often than not, the approach and
the data generated are dependent upon the
original purpose of each study. Such data are
therefore of variable usefulness to those
studying dental attrition for other reasons.
The purpose of the present study was twofold. First, the dental wear patterns in the
Libben population were found to be extraordinarily regular in form and rate (see below).
Among the primary reasons for this regularity are the relatively short occupation span
(circa 200 to 300 years) and the homogeneity
of the population (Lovejoy et al., 1977).There
were apparently no major dietary shifts during the internment period, so masticatory
patterns and oral abrasives remained unchanged during the course of the occupation.
Thus the Libben population presents a highly
regular and progressive record of dental wear
resulting from a common hunter-gatherer
diet, and this pattern was deemed a valuable
(c)
A sample of 332 adult dentitions was chosen from the Libben population for this study.
48
C.O. LOVEJOY
were normally worn away before final shedding, so such judgments were only necessary
for the postcanine dentition. Periodontal disease was pronounced in some cases, but because it clearly led to rapid tooth loss, its
effects on wear pattern were expressed
through the medium of tooth loss (i.e., acceleration in other portions of the dentition).
Each modal group was described and given
a letter designating its position in the sequence. Those descriptions are presented below (see also Figs. 1,2).
FUNCTIONAL ATTRITION OF THE MAXLLA
Phase A
M1: No dentine exposure. Polish of most
cusps with distinct facets occasionally appearing on trigone.
M2: Unworn to slight polish with infrequent small facets in older members.
M3: Unerupted. Crypt slightly to 50% open.
Ps: Erupted with minimal polishing.
Ant: Slight linear exposure of incisor dentine; none on canines.
Age: 12 - 18 years.
Phase B1
M1: No dentine exposure. Wear facets on
metacone andor protocone. Other cusps with
polish or apical facets
M2: No dentine exposure. Polishing of
cusps with occasional small facets on protocone or metacone.
M3: Unerupted. Crypt open to approximate
dimensions of tooth crown.
Ps: Wear facets or apical exposure of buccal cusps. Lingual cusps unaffected.
Ant: Occasional exposure of canine in older
members of group. Incisors vary from thin
linear exposure to distinct line of exposed
dentine.
Age: 16-20 years.
Phase B2
M1: Wear facets on metacone and protocone. Distinct facet on hypocone and occasionally on paracone.
M2: Polishing of three to four cusps. No
exposure.
M3: Active eruption or recently erupted (no
significant wear).
Ps: Wear facets or apical exposure of buccal cusps. Lingual cusps polished.
Ant: Occasional exposure of canine in older
members. Incisors vary from thin linear exposure to moderate band of dentine.
Age: 16-20 years.
B2
Fig. 1. Functional attritional stages of the maxillary dentition. For discussion see text.
@@@--
Fig. 2. Functional attritional stages of the mandibular dentition. For discussion see text.
@@@@@@--
Phase C
M1: Point exposure of protocone and metacone. Wear facets on hypocone and paracone.
M2: No dentine exposure. Broad facet on
protocone; apical facets on hypocone and paracone. Nonsignificant wear of metacone is
typical.
M3: Erupted with polishing.
PS:Point exposure may occasionally occur
on buccal cusp. Broad facets on lingual CUSPS.
Ant: Universal exposure of cuspids; moderately large circular exposure in older members; incisors show thin to moderate band of
dentine exposure.
Age: 18-22 years.
Phase D
M1: Point or small circular exposure of protocone. Point exposure of hypocone or paracone. Lingual wear strongly predominates.
M2: Broad facet on protocone with occasional exposure in older members. Strong
cuspal relief of buccal side remains intact.
M3: Little wear to small facets (usually on
lingual cusps).
Ps: Point exposure to ovoid exposure of
lingual and buccal cusps. Buccal wear
slightly advanced over lingual.
Ant: Canine cusp removed by wear with
10-20% crown loss. Incisors show 10-25%
crown loss.
Age: 20-24 years.
Phase E
M1: Small circular to semilunar exposure
of protocone. Point exposure of hypocone and
paracone or metacone, but not both. Hypocone occasionally has small circular dentine
exposure.
M2: Point exposure of protocone and occasionally also of hypocone in older members.
Wear facet on metacone: no exposure of remaining cusps.
M3: Fairly even flattening of crown but no
exposure.
Ps: Not significantly different from phase
D.
Ant: 20-30% crown loss of incisors and
canines.
Age: 24-30 years.
Phase F
M1: Semilunar exposure of protocone.
Small circular exposure of hypocone, paracone, and metacone. Occasional coalescence
of metacone and protocone, or less frequently
paracone and protocone (but not both).
51
Phase A
M1: No dentine exposure. Polish of most
cusps with distinct facets appearing occasionally on cusps of the trigonid.
M2: Unworn to slight polish with infrequent small facets in older members.
M3: Unerupted. Crypt slightly to 50%open.
Ps: Erupted. Minimal polishing.
Ant: Iypically a thin linear dentine exposure of incisors; no canine exposure.
Age: 12-18 years.
52
C.O. LOVEJOY
Phase B1
M1: Point exposure of dentine on protoconid only. Wear facets on additional cusps
but not pronounced.
M2: No exposure. Wear facets usually on
protoconid in older members. Polishing of remaining cusps with occasional small facets.
M3: Unerupted. Crypt slightly to 75%open.
Ps: Wear facets to point exposure of buccal
cusps. Lingual cusps unaffected. Buccal exposure in few older members of group.
Ant: Occasional exposure of canine in older
half of group. Incisors vary from thin linear
to moderate line of exposed dentine.
Age: 16-20 years.
Phase B2
M1: Point exposure of protoconid universal.
Older members exhibit additional point exposures on hypoconid and occasionally on
metaconid.
M2: No exposure. Distinct flat facets on one
to three cusps.
M3: Erupted without significant wear.
Ps: Wear facets or apical exposure of buccal cusps. Lingual cusp unaffected. Buccal
exposure in few older members of group.
Ant: Occasional exposure of canine in older
half of group. Incisors vary from thin early
exposure to distinct moderate line of exposed
dentine.
Age: 16-20 years.
Phase C
M1: Point exposure typical only of protoconid. Occasional exposure of one other cusp
(but rare). Fairly broad facets on other buccal
cusps. Polishing of lingual cusps.
M2: No dentine exposure. Protoconid may
show fairly broad facet. Apical facets on remaining cusps, but mostly restricted to buccal cusps. Polishing of remaining cusps.
M3: Erupted. Polishing with occasional apical facets in older members.
Ps: Lingual cusps show little or no wear.
Buccal cusps show range from polishing to
point exposure in older members. Fairly large
variation in degree of wear in these teeth.
Mode tends toward polishing without distinct facets.
Ant: Universal exposure of canines. Degree
of wear varies from point exposure to considerable loss of crown (up to 20%). Correlation
with molar wear poor. Incisors all with a t
least a moderate band of exposed dentine.
Degree variable but correlates with canine
wear.
Age: 18-22 years.
Phase D
M1: Point exposure of protoconid, hypoconid, and occasionally metaconid. Wear facets more pronounced on lingual cusps in older
members.
M2: Few cases of point exposure of protoconid in older members. Wear facets only in
buccal cusps among young members, on all
cusps of older members. Broad facet on protoconid (if not point exposure) and hypoconid.
Strong cuspal relief retained.
M3: Variable. Little wear to distinct facets
on buccal or lingual cusps, but not both.
Ps: Most show point exposure to distinct
ovoid exposure of mesial and occasionally on
distal premolars, but in both cases restricted
to buccal cusp. No exposure of lingual cusps.
Ant: Canine cusp now removed by wear;
tooth fully assimilated into incisor series.
Universal exposure of incisors with slight to
moderate wear (10-30% crown loss).
Age: 20-24 years.
Phase E
M1: Point exposure of protoconid, hypoconid, and metaconid or hypoconulid. Buccal
cusp exposures gradually expand with age in
group to become circular and occasionally
semilunar exposures. Lingual cusps less affected by wear and maintain considerably
higher relief, but wear facets give way to
point exposure in a few of oldest members.
M2: Protoconid exposed in all but youngest
members of group. Wear very similar to oldest members of previous group, with hypoconid exposure in older members.
M3: Variable. Flattening of most cusps with
mode being no dentine exposure. Wear generally more even than in M1 and M2.
Ps: No significant change from group D.
Ant: 20-50% crown loss of incisors. Canine
fully assimilated and wearing with incisors,
but with less apparent crown loss (20-30%).
Age: 24-30 years.
Phase F
M1: Multiple point exposure of all (or all
but one) cusps. Buccal exposure considerably
greater than lingual. Infrequent coalescence
of buccal cusps in older members.
M2: Exposure of one to three cusps, generally progressive in series. Wear facets on remaining cusps. Buccal wear predominates.
M3: Wear facets normal and modal. Occasional exposure of one cusp. Most variation
lies in degree of angulation of cuspal wear.
Ps: Cuspal topography maintained. Universal exposure of buccal cusp. Very irregu-
53
Phase G
M1: Large circular or semilunar exposure
of buccal cusps. Point to small circular exposure of lingual cusps. Coalescence of protoconid and hypoconid or hypoconid and
hypoconulid but not both.
M2: Small circular exposures with occasional large circular or even semilunar exposure of buccal cusps. Point exposure or very
flat facets of lingual cusps.
M3: One exposure (usually the protoconid).
Fairly flat wear usually involving up to three
cusps.
Ps: Very variable. No exposure of lingual
cusp, but wear generally covers rest of tooth
crown.
Ant: 30-80% loss of crown of incisor. Mode
is 40-60% loss. Canine only slightly less
worn.
Age: 35-40 years.
Phase H
M1: Coalescence of protoconid, hypoconid,
and hypoconulid. Occasionally this extends
to include entoconid andor metaconid. Large
circular or semilunar exposures of all lingual
cusps if not coalesced.
M2: Two to four cusps coalesced. Buccal
cusps usually have large or occasionally semilunar exposures. Lingual usually small circular or occasionally large circular dentine
exposures.
M3: One or two exposures, but always include the protoconid. Tooth considerably
flattened.
Ps: Very variable. In several cases lingual
cusps now involved due to progressive attrition of buccal cusp. Many cases still conservative and not more advanced than in previous
two groups.
Ant: Highly variable. 30-80% crown loss.
Mode is 50-60% loss. Canine has identical
degree of loss.
Age: 40-45 years.
Phase I
M1: Coalescence of all (or all but one) cusps
to form a complete single surface of exposed
dentine. 50% loss of crown.
M2: Wear now considerably more irregular
as to location on crown. Large circular and
semilunar exposures. Coalescence of all buccal cusps is typical.
54
C.O. LOVEJOY
gathering societies, regularity of pattern renders rate estimation easier and more accurate.
Additional comment seems appropriate
with respect to Stewarts opinion that
changes in dental wear should be compared
to age (judged by some other criterion) rather
than being used to determine age itself. Similar comments are frequently made with respect to other age indicators such as trabecular and cortical bone involution. The solution to this problem is simple. If age is
assessed by each criterion separately and all
are systematically combined to form a single
age estimate (as it should be; Lovejoy et al,
19851, then such a n estimate can be recalculated minus a particular criterion in order to
independently judge its particular age behavior. However, the demographic profiles of
skeletal populations are of primary importance, and every attempt should be made to
determine age structure with great accuracy.
This requires the systematic use of all significant age-related anatomical data, since such
data have been shown to improve the accuracy of age-at-death estimations (Lovejoy et
al, 1985).
In the Libben population, dental wear was
found to be sufficiently regular to allow the
designation of modal wear groups (with attendent age estimations). A primary problem, not yet addressed, is the interpolation of
individuals with significant antemortem loss.
The assignment of age to these individuals is
more subjective. For this reason, as noted
above, maxillas and mandibles were assessed independently in order to test the repeatability of age interpolation. After seriation and age assignment, the data were
subjected to both Pearson and Spearman correlational analyses. A sample of 113 dentitions for which age assignment could be made
on both maxilla and mandible were available. The Pearson product moment correlation between their independent age
assignments was .93, while the Spearman
rank order correlation was .96. These data
TABLE 1. Libben population age indicator
intercorrelation matrix
Dental Auricular Pubic Femoral Sutures
Dental
Auricular
Pubic
Femoral
Sutures
1.00
.78
.82
.76
.68
.78
1.00
.84
.67
.60
.82
.84
1.00
.73
.66
.76
.67
.73
1.00
53
.68
.60
.66
,513
1.00
55
Stage of attrition
I1
111
IV
Total
17
6
0
23
11
18
7
36
2
13
14
29
0
2
11
13
30
39
32
4
2
1
7
14
10
1
25
6
28
10
44
0
14
10
28
24
54
22
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Dental wear
Mean
SD
32.6
37.5
33.0
35.8
33.0
36.8
33.2
36.9
8.6
12.0
8.4
11.0
8.0
12.2
9.7
11.0
N
73
66
57
65
62
53
55
52
Pubis
Auricular
Femoral
Sutures
32.8
37.4
34.2
34.8
30.0
36.4
34.1
34.6
8.2
11.2
7.4
10.3
7.5
10.7
8.7
9.0
56
C.O. LOVEJOY