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Systematic Assessment of Mammalian Skull Specimens for Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology
Published on: August 22, 2022
Maxillary canine-first premolar transposition in two Native American skeletal samples from New Mexico
1Department of Anthropology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-2402, USA. burnett@imap2.asu.edu
American Journal of Physical Anthropology
|September 6, 2001
Summary
Tooth transposition, a rare dental anomaly, involves reversed adjacent teeth. Maxillary canine and first premolar transposition is most common, with higher prevalence observed in Native American populations.
Area of Science:
- Dental anomalies
- Human skeletal analysis
- Population genetics
Background:
- Tooth transposition is a rare dental anomaly where adjacent teeth swap positions.
- Maxillary canine and first premolar transposition (Mx.C.P1 transposition) is the most frequently documented type.
- Limited data exists on Mx.C.P1 transposition prevalence in Native American populations.
Observation:
- Eleven cases of Mx.C.P1 transposition were identified in skeletal samples from Pecos Pueblo and Sambrito Village, New Mexico.
- Nine cases were unilateral (6 right, 3 left), and two were bilateral.
- The prevalence rate in Native American samples (Pecos Pueblo: 1.8%) appears higher than in other global populations studied.
Findings:
- This study documents Mx.C.P1 transposition occurrence in Native American skeletal remains.
- It provides prevalence data for this specific dental anomaly across different global populations.
- A higher prevalence of Mx.C.P1 transposition was noted in African and Native American samples compared to European and Asian samples.
Implications:
- Findings contribute to understanding the geographical variation in tooth transposition frequencies.
- Highlights the need for considering population-specific data in dental anomaly research.
- Suggests potential genetic or environmental factors influencing Mx.C.P1 transposition prevalence.
