TY - JOUR
T1 - Enamel thickness variation in the deciduous dentition of extant large-bodied hominoids
AU - Ortiz, Alejandra
AU - Schander-Triplett, Katherine
AU - Bailey, Shara E.
AU - Skinner, Matthew M.
AU - Hublin, Jean Jacques
AU - Schwartz, Gary T.
N1 - Funding Information:
Max‐Planck‐Gesellschaft; Wenner‐Gren Foundation (grant 9352 to A.O.); H2020 European Research Council (grant 819960 to M.S.); Institute of Human Origins Funding information
Funding Information:
For access to specimens, we thank the following individuals and institutions: Brendon Billings, Nicholas Bacci, and University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany; David Hunt and National Museum Natural History, Washington, DC.; Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ; Mark Omura and Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, MA; Thomas Koppe and University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany; Frieder Mayer, Christiane Funk, and Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany; and Phyletic Museum, Jena, Germany. We also thank Heiko Temming, David Plotzki, Lukas Westphal, Kudakwashe Jakata, and Evelyn Glaze for assistance. This research was supported by the Wenner‐Gren Foundation (grant 9352 to A.O.), the H2020 European Research Council (grant 819960 to M.S.), and the Max Planck Society.
Funding Information:
For access to specimens, we thank the following individuals and institutions: Brendon Billings, Nicholas Bacci, and University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Universit?t Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany; David Hunt and National Museum Natural History, Washington, DC.; Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ; Mark Omura and Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, MA; Thomas Koppe and University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany; Frieder Mayer, Christiane Funk, and Museum f?r Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany; and Phyletic Museum, Jena, Germany. We also thank Heiko Temming, David Plotzki, Lukas Westphal, Kudakwashe Jakata, and Evelyn Glaze for assistance. This research was supported by the Wenner-Gren Foundation (grant 9352 to A.O.), the H2020 European Research Council (grant 819960 to M.S.), and the Max Planck Society.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC
PY - 2020/11/1
Y1 - 2020/11/1
N2 - Objectives: Enamel thickness features prominently in hominoid evolutionary studies. To date, however, studies of enamel thickness in humans, great apes, and their fossil relatives have focused on the permanent molar row. Comparatively little research effort has been devoted to tissue proportions within deciduous teeth. Here we attempt to fill this gap by documenting enamel thickness variation in the deciduous dentition of extant large-bodied hominoids. Materials and methods: We used microcomputed tomography to image dental tissues in 80 maxillary and 78 mandibular deciduous premolars of Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, Gorilla, and Pongo. Two-dimensional virtual sections were created from the image volumes to quantify average (AET) and relative (RET) enamel thickness, as well as its distribution across the crown. Results: Our results reveal no significant differences in enamel thickness among the great apes. Unlike the pattern present in permanent molars, Pongo does not stand out as having relatively thicker-enameled deciduous premolars than P. troglodytes and Gorilla. Humans, on the other hand, possess significantly thicker deciduous premolar enamel in comparison to great apes. Following expectations from masticatory biomechanics, we also find that the “functional” side (protocone, protoconid) of deciduous premolars generally possesses thicker enamel than the “nonfunctional” side. Discussion: Our study lends empirical support to anecdotal observations that patterns of AET and RET observed for permanent molars of large-bodied apes do not apply to deciduous premolars. By documenting enamel thickness variation in hominoid deciduous teeth, this study provides the comparative context to interpret rates and patterns of wear of deciduous teeth and their utility in life history reconstructions.
AB - Objectives: Enamel thickness features prominently in hominoid evolutionary studies. To date, however, studies of enamel thickness in humans, great apes, and their fossil relatives have focused on the permanent molar row. Comparatively little research effort has been devoted to tissue proportions within deciduous teeth. Here we attempt to fill this gap by documenting enamel thickness variation in the deciduous dentition of extant large-bodied hominoids. Materials and methods: We used microcomputed tomography to image dental tissues in 80 maxillary and 78 mandibular deciduous premolars of Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes, Gorilla, and Pongo. Two-dimensional virtual sections were created from the image volumes to quantify average (AET) and relative (RET) enamel thickness, as well as its distribution across the crown. Results: Our results reveal no significant differences in enamel thickness among the great apes. Unlike the pattern present in permanent molars, Pongo does not stand out as having relatively thicker-enameled deciduous premolars than P. troglodytes and Gorilla. Humans, on the other hand, possess significantly thicker deciduous premolar enamel in comparison to great apes. Following expectations from masticatory biomechanics, we also find that the “functional” side (protocone, protoconid) of deciduous premolars generally possesses thicker enamel than the “nonfunctional” side. Discussion: Our study lends empirical support to anecdotal observations that patterns of AET and RET observed for permanent molars of large-bodied apes do not apply to deciduous premolars. By documenting enamel thickness variation in hominoid deciduous teeth, this study provides the comparative context to interpret rates and patterns of wear of deciduous teeth and their utility in life history reconstructions.
KW - average enamel thickness
KW - deciduous premolars
KW - great apes
KW - humans
KW - relative enamel thickness
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U2 - 10.1002/ajpa.24106
DO - 10.1002/ajpa.24106
M3 - Article
C2 - 32767577
AN - SCOPUS:85089143982
SN - 0002-9483
VL - 173
SP - 500
EP - 513
JO - American journal of physical anthropology
JF - American journal of physical anthropology
IS - 3
ER -