Technical note: a new three-dimensional technique for high resolution quantitative recording of perikymata

The number and spacing of incremental markings at the enamel surface, known as perikymata, are considered important indicators of dental growth patterns, as they provide information on crown formation times and the underlying developmental processes. This study explores the potential of a new three-dimensional technique for the reconstruction of dental growth profiles, using teeth from a medieval child from Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The crowns of three anterior teeth were imaged and analyzed using the Alicona 3D InfiniteFocus imaging microscope. Individual perikyma grooves can be unambiguously identified on a profile of the reconstructed enamel surface and direct distances between successive pairs of perikyma grooves can be calculated from coordinate data. This quantitative approach constitutes a more objective way to record perikymata spacing than current methods.