Contribution of Antemortem Tooth Loss (AMTL) and Dental Attrition to Oral Palaeopathology in the Human Skeletal Series from the Yean-Ri Site, South Korea

Abstract

Antemortem tooth loss (AMTL) and degree of dental attrition are thought to be closely related to dental caries and periodontitis, not only in ancient human skeletal remains but also in modern humans. We examined these features in the Yean-ri skeletal series (AD 4rd to 7th centuries), South Korea. There is no significant difference between males and females in AMTL and degree of dental attrition, so the male and female data in the present study were pooled. However, a significant difference in the AMTL rate was observed between individuals of different ages, particularly in the posterior teeth of the lower jaw. A significant increase in AMTL was seen with increasing age. The degree of dental attrition was also correlated with age and was closely related to dental eruption. The prevalence of occlusal dental caries was low in the Yean-ri skeleton. Yean-ri people ate food that was much harder than the food eaten by modern day people; therefore, their dental attrition was considerable. Occlusal dental caries is speculated not to have occurred in an individual with occlusal surfaces, such as severe attrition. In other words, occlusal dental caries might have occurred in young people, but it would not have been found in individuals beyond a certain age, as dental attrition progressed with aging. If dental attrition was considerable, slight occlusal dental caries could have disappeared due to dental attrition, as in the modern Nigerian cases. Furthermore, severe dental attrition in archaeological samples was closely related to caries sites.