Dental microwear texture analysis in deciduous teeth

Juvenile individuals have been underrepresented in many areas of bioarcheological study, including research utilizing dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA). While the study of dentition in juveniles, both deciduous and permanent, offers a potential wealth of information on culturally specific practices regarding childhood and development, many questions remain regarding the use of deciduous dentition, specifically how deciduous microwear texture formation compares to that of permanent dentition. Previous research has reached various conclusions, reporting no differences, or attributing differences to age-related dietary variation, as well as the structural and chemical differences between deciduous and permanent enamel. It has also been suggested that changes in mandibular biomechanics associated with normal growth and development could affect dental microwear texture signatures. To evaluate whether differences are present between the microwear texture of deciduous and permanent teeth within the same population, and whether these differences could be attributed to dietary differences, casts of deciduous premolars (n = 22) and permanent molars (n = 24) were created from individuals from the Roman town of Herculaneum. Standard analytical procedures for DMTA were followed. Three DMTA variables were analyzed: complexity, anisotropy, and textural fill volume. Differences were evident between deciduous and permanent dentition for both anisotropy and textural fill volume, while complexity values remained consistent across the sample. The results indicate that there are differences in the dental microwear of permanent and deciduous teeth, and that these differences cannot be attributed solely to age-related dietary differences. The hypotheses regarding enamel differences and changing mandibular biomechanics cannot be refuted at this time.