Crown dimensions of Malay deciduous teeth: Sex dimorphism and tooth size in Asia

This study documents deciduous tooth crown dimensions and sex dimorphism in modern Malay children of Indonesia. Comparisons are made with living and prehistoric East and South Asians to better understand tooth size variation in space and through time.

Measurements of the dental crown were made with a Mitutoyo digimatic caliper, interfaced with a Dell laptop, running Microsoft Excel (2003). Buccolingual (BL) measurements of maximum crown breadth of modern Malay were made by the first author. All prehistoric South Asian comparative samples were measured by the first author, data for living East and South Asians were taken from published data. All statistical analyses were conducted using SAS, Inc. (9.1 for Windows).

Crown dimensions, sex dimorphism and crown areas are presented and reveal consistencies in tooth size and level of sexual dimorphism with East and South Asian living samples. Sex dimorphism in Malay crown dimensions is low (1.1%) among Asians. Total crown area is 484.7 mm², similar to living Japanese (486.3 mm²), but greater than Hindus (476.4 mm²) of India. Compared with prehistoric groups the Malay have reduced tooth size, especially when compared with Neolithic (MR 3, 535.3 mm²) and Chalcolithic (MR 2, 515.3 mm²) Mehrgarh, Pakistan.

Sex dimorphism in Malay deciduous crown dimensions is lower than average among Asians and total tooth crown area is similar to living East and South Asians but is reduced when compared with prehistoric Asian samples.