Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 30, 2026
Systematic Approach to Identify Novel Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Molecules from Plants' Extracts and Fractions to Prevent Dental Caries
Published on: March 31, 2021
A singular case of advanced caries sicca in a pre-Columbian skull from East Tennessee
Tracy K Betsinger1, Maria O Smith2
1Department of Anthropology, SUNY Oneonta, Oneonta, NY 13820, United States.
Objective:
Documentation of an advanced case of tertiary stage treponemal disease.
Materials:
The well-preserved cranium and mandible of an adult male (Burial G) from the Early Woodland period (900 BCE-200 CE) Wilhoite site (40GN10) from east Tennessee.
Methods:
Macroscopic examination of the cranio-facial periostosis on Burial G for pathognomonic indicators of treponemal disease.
Results:
There are extensive contiguous nodular lesions on the frontal, parietals, temporals, and occipital bones. The frontal squama additionally exhibits radial scaring and circumvallate cavitating lesions. Radial scars are also present on both zygomatic bones and the endocranial surface of the calotte. There is rounding of the nasal margins in addition to periostosis on the palate.
Conclusions:
Burial G unequivocally exhibits the pathognomonic reactive changes of caries sicca, radial scarring, and cavitating lesions.
Significance:
The Early Woodland date in combination with the advanced degree of pathognomonic reactive change is exceptional, and to date, without parallel in the pre-Columbian archaeological record of North America. Any case approaching the severity displayed here is invariably late prehistoric.
Limitations:
The absence of postcrania does not permit assessment of frailty or synergism of secondary conditions.
Suggestions For Further Research:
More comprehensive documentation of pre-Columbian treponemal cases is merited.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Singularity Functions for Shear
01:18Singularity Functions for Bending Moment
01:22Sutures of the Skull
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
01:08Overview of the Skull
The cranial vault surrounds and protects the brain and houses the middle and inner ear structures. This cavity is bounded superiorly by the rounded top of the skull, which...
02:01pre-mRNA Processing
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a “cap” to the 5’ end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5’ phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached to it (7-Methyl...
01:35Pre-mRNA Processing: Modification of pre-mRNA Ends
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a cap to the 5' end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5' phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached (7-methyl guanosine). This 5' cap helps...