Impacted canine in a prehistoric skull

Impacted teeth are frequently found in humans today, but current data suggest their existance in skulls originating from the prehistoric age. This report describes the skull of an adult female that was found during excavation in the Croation enolithic site of Vucedol (2700-24--BC). The skull is well preserved and, according to cranial and facial index calculation, is classified as dolichocephalic and mesoprospic. Cephalometric analysis revealed bimaxillary prognathism. The maxillary left canine is impacted and its crown peak is visible through the alveolar maxillary bone fenestration. The position of the canine was verified using x-rays, and is described in this study as an isolated finding. The reported occurrence of impacted teeth in prehistoric material appears to confirm the multifactorial etiology of this anomaly.