Dental anthropological study of Peruvian Indians

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dento-craniofacial morphology and the occlusal characteristics in the Peruvian Indians from the dental-anthropological point of view.The sample consisted of cephalograms, pantomograms, dental casts, photos and records (anthropometric measurements and oral examinations) which were taken from 145 modern Peruvian Indians and 185 ancient Peruvian Indians.The results were summarized as follows:1. About the dento-craniofacial morphology, the modern Peruvian Indians showed;1) brachycephaly and large bi-gonial breadth, having the similar tendency as the Japanese.2) smaller facial height and shorter depth of the cranial base and jaws than those of the Caucasians.3) small gonial angle and small mandibular plane angle which were specific characteristics compared with the Japanese.4) shorter depth of the alveolar portion of the jaws, larger anterior facial height and larger gonial angle than those of the ancient Peruvian Indians.2. About the occlusal characteristics, the modern Peruvian Indians had;1) wider dental arches than that of the Caucasians, showing the same values as the Japanese.2) remarkable differences in the mesiodistal crown diameters in all of the teeth and in the length of the dental arch between the early and late permanent dentition, which were caused by the mesial shifting of the teeth because of the attrition in the horizontal dimension.3) smaller incisors, larger premolars and molars in the mesiodistal crown diameter than those of the Caucasians and also had smaller incisors and premolars compared with the Japanese.4) smaller teeth in the mesiodistal crown diameter in all of the teeth than that of the ancient Peruvian Indians.5) shovel-shaped incisors in a higher frequency compared with the Caucasians and also had an interstitial tuberculum on the upper premolars in a lower frequency and underdeveloped crown on the lower premolars.