Abstract
The proposed device considerably reduces the measuring time of important microscopic features of tooth crown surfaces. The instrumentation is accompanied by a computer program to analyse the results. Tooth enamel is formed by ameloblasts, which demonstrate daily secretory rhythms developing tissue-specific structures known as cross striations, and longer period markings that are referred as striae of Retzius. These striae correspond to linear structures on the enamel surface. This newly developed optical measuring instrument can automatically, precisely and accurately record the number and periodicity of perikymata on the dental crown. Furthermore it can characterize the variability in periodicity of perikymata in hominids. The depth of field can be extended as desired by taking several images with different focus positions and combining them into a single composite image that contains all regions fully focused.
Highlights
The study of human physiological development and its variability have been of central interest for anthro-biologists, pathologists, dentists, orthodontists and pediatricians, to name a few
The instrumentation is anticipated to be widely used to characterize the variability in extant humans and to classify fossil hominins
We demonstrate with observer-independent, accurate and reliable measurements, that the periodicity of perikymata decreases towards the cervix in two fossil hominin teeth from Kromdraai B : one central and one lateral permanent incisor of KB5223
Summary
The study of human physiological development and its variability have been of central interest for anthro-biologists, pathologists, dentists, orthodontists and pediatricians, to name a few. Our specific objective in this paper is to design and implement an optical system for measuring and analyzing perikymata of the human tooth crown. The goal is to determine the spatial periodicity structure of the perikymata for classification of fossil hominins and for the analysis of variable patterns of dental development in extant human populations. Our instrument significantly differs from the previous devices based on electron microscopy, confocal microscopy and optical profilometry. Such instruments are much more expensive and of considerably larger in size and heavier weights, which prevented easy portability [3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. To add to a significant disadvantage, those techniques are considerably more time consuming in acquiring data
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