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Functional dental occlusion: an anthropological perspective and implications for practice
J A Kaidonis1, S Ranjitkar, D Lekkas
1School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia.
Australian Dental Journal
|January 22, 2014
Summary
Modern humans exhibit
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Dental anthropology
- Physiology
Background:
- Dental occlusion changes throughout life due to functional demands and adaptive responses.
- Anthropological data reveals evolutionary changes in the human stomatognathic system.
- Reduced functional demands in modern industrialized societies contrast with ancestral environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the concept of 'neotenous' dental occlusions in modern populations.
- To differentiate physiological occlusal changes from pathological ones.
- To provide clinicians with phylogenetic and ontogenetic perspectives on functional dental occlusion.
Main Methods:
- Concept paper synthesizing existing literature.
- Comparative analysis of ancestral and modern occlusal patterns.
- Integration of phylogenetic and ontogenetic perspectives.
Main Results:
- Modern industrialized populations may present with 'neotenous' dental occlusions, resembling an unworn ancestral state.
- Reduced masticatory demands lead to fewer pathological occlusal changes compared to ancestral populations.
- Dental caries, periodontal disease, and erosion are significant pathological factors in modern occlusion.
Conclusions:
- Modern dental occlusions can be considered 'neotenous' due to reduced functional demands.
- Clinicians should utilize evolutionary and developmental perspectives to manage occlusal changes.
- Distinguishing between normal physiological adaptation and pathological conditions is crucial for dental intervention.
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