Hyperdontia across sub-Saharan Africa: Prevalence, patterning, and implications.

Area of Science:

• Paleoanthropology
• Dental Anthropology
• Human Genetics

Background:

• Hyperdontia, characterized by supernumerary teeth, is a dental anomaly with varying prevalence across global populations.
• Understanding its distribution in sub-Saharan Africa is crucial for anthropological and clinical perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present hyperdontia data for modern and premodern sub-Saharan Africans across distinct regions and sexes.
• To compare these findings with global populations and explore potential biocultural implications.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of skeletal dentitions and hardstone casts (n=1916) from 51 samples.
• Quantitative analyses, including confidence intervals, were performed on adult individuals to assess hyperdontia prevalence and patterning.

Main Results:

• Modern sub-Saharan Africans exhibit a 3.08% prevalence of hyperdontia, with significant regional disparities (West-Central: 6.8% vs. East-South: 1.5%).
• Premodern individuals showed a lower prevalence (0.82%) with minimal regional differences. Males were more frequently affected.
• A notable finding was a tendency for hyperdontia in the posterior maxilla, differing from some non-African patterns.

Conclusions:

• The overall prevalence of hyperdontia in sub-Saharan Africa is at the higher end of global ranges, but regional variation is substantial.
• Observed regional differences may correlate with historical migration patterns and biocultural indicators.
• The consistent patterning suggests a shared, potentially ancient genetic component influencing hyperdontia expression in this population.