Abstract
The present study concerns occlusal dental microwear texture variation on the deciduous molars of children. A description and evaluation of microwear texture variation within facet 9 and a comparison of microwear textures between grinding facets 9 and 11 are presented. The relationship between wear facet surface area and intra-facet microwear texture variability is evaluated. The sample is composed of naturally-exfoliated, taphonomy-free deciduous second molars from twelve extant children and four archaeologically-derived medieval children (for a total of 51 surface measurements). Dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) was performed using a confocal microscope and scale-sensitive fractal analysis (SSFA) at three standardized locations on facet 9, and one location on facet 11. Facet shape was visually assessed and scored using a headset magnifier (3×) and composite images (20× confocal microscopy). Individuals were assigned to two groups based on a qualitative assessment of facet surface area. Microwear texture variability within facet 9 was high relative to the variability of microwear textures between individuals. No significant inter-facet variation between facets 9 and 11 was detected. No clear differences in microwear and variabilities within facet 9 were found between individuals assigned to small and large facet groups. Our study shows the existence of important intra-facet microwear variation in a sample of children. Intra-facet microwear variation can affect the ability of DMTA to distinguish between diets in contexts with small sample sizes and subtle differences in diet – such as those characterizing dietary transitions in children. Results also suggest non-dietary factors may influence microwear formation during dental exfoliation. A better understanding of intra-facet microwear variation, and when and how to account for it, can improve the application of occlusal DMTA in similar contexts.
Highlights
During mastication, microscopic alteration of enamel surface texture occurs as hard or abrasive particles are pushed against the tooth surface and tooth-to-tooth contacts occur
There is great potential that microwear analysis may be employed to describe changes in diet throughout childhood, such as weaning and the introduction of harder and tougher foodstuffs, as well as the differential treatment of children within a community, yet very few Dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) studies have focused on the deciduous molars of juveniles
The present study found important microwear variation within facet 9 in a group of extant and medieval children
Summary
Microscopic alteration of enamel surface texture occurs as hard or abrasive particles are pushed against the tooth surface and tooth-to-tooth contacts occur. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 31 (2020) 102284 investigated group-level differences in occlusal molar microwear textures using permanent human teeth (El-Zaatari, 2010; Schmidt et al, 2016; Schmidt et al, 2019; Ungar et al, 2019). These studies have identified some general tendencies in the mean and distribution of microwear texture variables between different subsistence groups and populations (Schmidt et al, 2019). There are differences between deciduous and permanent dentitions in enamel structure, composition, dental organization, and masticatory biomechanics that may influence microwear formation (Gentile et al, 2015; Kamegai et al, 2005; Low et al, 2008; De Menezes Oliveira et al, 2009; Ubelaker, 1987)
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