Contours of maxillary molars studied in Australian aboriginals

Distances from the central pit to the perimeter of the crown of permanent upper molars were measured on standardized occlusal photographs of dental casts representing 210 male and 181 female Aboriginals from Yuendumu in the Northern Territory of Australia. In both males and females the first molar was the largest tooth but it showed least variability. Variabilities of the distances tended to be greater for radii constructed in the buccolingual direction than for the transverse mesiodistal radii. The most marked size reduction in the molar series from first to third related to the distolingual part of the crown, which was also the most variable region. Size differences between molars in the mesial contour radii were not marked. Sexual dimorphism was evident in most crown radii, being most marked for the second molar.