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Correlations between deciduous and permanent tooth morphology in a European American sample
1Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. hjhedgar@unm.edu
American Journal of Physical Anthropology
|February 14, 2007
Summary
Dental morphology shows genetic control, but expression differs between deciduous and permanent teeth. Comparing traits in the same individuals revealed varied correlations, influenced by scoring systems and trait rarity.
Area of Science:
- Dental Anthropology
- Human Genetics
- Bioarchaeology
Background:
- Dental morphological traits are influenced by genetics.
- Similar expression is assumed between deciduous and permanent dentitions.
- Limited data exist comparing these traits within individuals across dentitions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare normal morphological variation in deciduous and permanent dentitions within the same individuals.
- To assess the impact of different scoring systems on observed correlations.
- To investigate genetic and environmental influences on dental trait expression.
Main Methods:
- Collected dental casts from European Americans (N=54) as children and adults.
- Observed 19 trait expressions in both deciduous and permanent dentitions.
- Compared trait scores using Goodman-Kruskal's Gamma and tetrachoric correlation on original and shared scales.
Main Results:
- Correlations between deciduous and permanent dentitions varied significantly, with some traits showing no correlation.
- Categorical data analysis yielded more moderate to high correlations than tetrachoric analysis.
- A shared scoring scale improved correlation detection compared to original systems.
Conclusions:
- Dental trait expression is not always consistent between deciduous and permanent dentitions.
- Scoring system differences and trait characteristics influence observed correlations.
- Complex genetic and environmental interactions shape dental morphology.
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