Related Experiment Videos
Brief communication: Tigaran (Point Hope, Alaska) tooth drilling
J H Schwartz1, J Brauer, P Gordon-Larsen
1Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology
|May 1, 1995
Summary
This study examined skeletal remains of Tigaran adults from Alaska, revealing extensive periodontal disease and tooth loss. One individual shows evidence of precontact New World Arctic dentistry, suggesting therapeutic intervention for a severe tooth abscess.
Area of Science:
- Paleopathology
- Bioarchaeology
- Forensic Anthropology
Background:
- Analysis of 48 Tigaran adult skeletal remains (1300-1700 A.D.) from Point Hope, Alaska.
- Investigation into the prevalence of dental pathologies within the sample.
Observation:
- 33 individuals exhibited periodontal disease, leading to tooth loss in 25.
- Extreme tooth wear was common, but carious infection was rare, affecting only one individual.
Findings:
- The affected individual presented with a severe abscess in the lower central incisors (I1s).
- Distinctive artificial modifications were observed on the root of an affected incisor, including a depression and perforations into the root canal.
- These modifications, associated with the abscess and absent in ritualistic practices, suggest therapeutic intent.
Implications:
- This case may represent the earliest evidence of dentistry in the New World Arctic.
- Highlights sophisticated, albeit localized, precontact therapeutic dental practices.
- Provides insights into the health challenges and adaptive strategies of past Arctic populations.