Tooth Extraction in Antiquity (original) (raw)
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Prehistoric dental treatments were extremely rare, and the few documented cases are known from the Neolithic, when the adoption of early farming culture caused an increase of carious lesions. Here we report the earliest evidence of dental caries intervention on a Late Upper Palaeolithic modern human specimen (Villabruna) from a burial in Northern Italy. Using Scanning Electron Microscopy we show the presence of striations deriving from the manipulation of a large occlusal carious cavity of the lower right third molar. The striations have a "V"-shaped transverse section and several parallel micro-scratches at their base, as typically displayed by cutmarks on teeth. Based on in vitro experimental replication and a complete functional reconstruction of the Villabruna dental arches, we confirm that the identified striations and the associated extensive enamel chipping on the mesial wall of the cavity were produced ante-mortem by pointed flint tools during scratching and levering activities. The Villabruna specimen is therefore the oldest known evidence of dental caries intervention, suggesting at least some knowledge of disease treatment well before the Neolithic. This study suggests that primitive forms of carious treatment in human evolution entail an adaptation of the well-known toothpicking for levering and scratching rather than drilling practices.
Earliest evidence of proto-dental treatment in the Late Upper Paleolithic
Prehistoric dental treatments have been known from the Neolithic - 9,000-7,500 years before present (BP) -, when the adoption of early farming culture caused an increase of carious lesions. They were extremely rare, and the few documented cases were characterized by in vivo perforation of the crown surface made by a drilling tool. Here we document the earliest evidence of proto-dental therapeutic intervention on a Late Upper Paleolithic (ca. 14,000 yr BP) modern human specimen from a burial in Northern Italy (Villabruna shelter). Using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) we show the presence of striations deriving from the manipulation of a large occlusal carious cavity of the lower right third molar. The striations have a “V’’-shaped transverse section and several parallel micro-scratches at their base, as typically displayed by cutmarks on teeth. Based on in vitro experimental replication and a complete functional reconstruction of the Villabruna dental arches, we confirm that the identified striations and the associated extensive enamel chipping on the mesial wall of the cavity were produced ante-mortem by pointed flint tools during scratching and levering activities. The Villabruna specimen is therefore the oldest known evidence of dental caries intervention, suggesting rudimentary knowledge of disease treatment well before the Neolithic. This study also suggests that primitive forms of carious treatment in human evolution entail an adaptation of well-known toothpickings for levering and scratching rather than drilling practices.
American journal of physical anthropology, 2017
Early evidence for the treatment of dental pathology is found primarily among food-producing societies associated with high levels of oral pathology. However, some Late Pleistocene hunter-gatherers show extensive oral pathology, suggesting that experimentation with therapeutic dental interventions may have greater antiquity. Here, we report the second earliest probable evidence for dentistry in a Late Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherer recovered from Riparo Fredian (Tuscany, Italy). The Fredian 5 human consists of an associated maxillary anterior dentition with antemortem exposure of both upper first incisor (I(1) ) pulp chambers. The pulp chambers present probable antemortem modifications that warrant in-depth analyses and direct dating. Scanning electron microscopy, microCT and residue analyses were used to investigate the purported modifications of external and internal surfaces of each I(1) . The direct date places Fredian 5 between 13,000 and 12,740 calendar years ago. Both pulp...
Europe's oldest jaw: evidence of oral pathology
British Dental Journal, 2012
contained bones and stone tools, particularly in the two caves known as the Gallery and the Gran Dolina; but nearly eight decades were to pass before they were excavated by scientists. Until that time, the most famous deposits were the Gran Dolina and the Sima de los Huesos, a site which has provided the greatest number of human fossil bones worldwide. To date, more than 4,000 fossils of a new species, named Homo antecessor, have been recovered. 1 Close to the Gran Dolina and the Sima de los Huesos caves, the Trinchera del Elefante (TE) can be located, where the oldest hominid remains found in Europe to date were discovered. Among the human remains retrieved, the jaw fragments and skulls are almost complete. According to paleomagnetism data, they are very old (between 300,000 and 1,200,000 years) and belong to the Pleistocene epoch, which ranges from 1,800,000 years ago to approximately 9,000 BC. 2,3 The latest fossil discovered was retrieved in 2008 and is a fragment corresponding to the symphysis area of a mandible (Fig. 1). It preserves several teeth and is known by the acronym TE9 (Trinchera Elefante, Level 9: excavation deep level), and is considered to be the oldest human fossil to have been found in Europe with an age of 1,200,000 years or thereabouts (see Table 1). 4,5 Given these considerations, this specimen is considered highly protected
Earliest evidence of dental caries manipulation in the Late Upper Palaeolithic OPEN
Prehistoric dental treatments were extremely rare, and the few documented cases are known from the Neolithic, when the adoption of early farming culture caused an increase of carious lesions. Here we report the earliest evidence of dental caries intervention on a Late Upper Palaeolithic modern human specimen (Villabruna) from a burial in Northern Italy. Using Scanning Electron Microscopy we show the presence of striations deriving from the manipulation of a large occlusal carious cavity of the lower right third molar. The striations have a " V "-shaped transverse section and several parallel micro-scratches at their base, as typically displayed by cutmarks on teeth. Based on in vitro experimental replication and a complete functional reconstruction of the Villabruna dental arches, we confirm that the identified striations and the associated extensive enamel chipping on the mesial wall of the cavity were produced ante-mortem by pointed flint tools during scratching and levering activities. The Villabruna specimen is therefore the oldest known evidence of dental caries intervention, suggesting at least some knowledge of disease treatment well before the Neolithic. This study suggests that primitive forms of carious treatment in human evolution entail an adaptation of the well-known toothpicking for levering and scratching rather than drilling practices. Dental caries are a major oral health problem in modern human societies 1 , representing one of the most common chronic dental diseases around the world. The need to treat carious teeth was well-known during historical times as well. To improve pain relief, medieval treatments were based on either humoral theory using herbal remedies or anatomical principles 2,3. Ancient Greeks and mainly Romans were
2017
Aims: We describe four associated mandibular teeth, left P4 – M3, which show a number of features consistent with a diagnosis that toothpick grooves and other dental manipulations were associated with treating multiple eruption abnormalities. Materials and Methods: The four isolated teeth making up Krapina Dental Person (KDP) 20 were analyzed by eye and with a light microscope to document occlusal wear, toothpick groove formation, ante mortem enamel, dentin scratches and lingual fractures. Results: Definitive, stage 4 toothpick grooves (1) occur on all four teeth, but are especially marked on both mesial and distal faces of the left P4 (tooth #32) and the mesial face of the left M1 (tooth #82). Less distinct interproximal grooves, defined as stage 2 striations, appear on the distal face of left M1, distal lingual edge of M2 (tooth #3) and the mesial face of M3 (tooth #8). The left P4 also shows signs of dental probing on the mesial buccal cusp and all four teeth have fractures on th...
Unlocking the past: The role of dental analysis in archaeology
Dental Historian, 2015
What can the study of ancient teeth tell us about the lifestyle and dietary habits of our ancestors? Dental palaeopathology is particularly important as it can provide direct evidence of the type of diet an individual consumed during life. An analysis of the angle of tooth wear evident on the crown of the tooth can help to distinguish between early hunter-gatherers and later agriculturists, whilst microwear features on the occlusal surface can help to discern subtle dietary shifts. The distributions of stable isotopes in food webs make it possible to use them to reconstruct ancient diets as well as tracing the geographic origins and migrations of peoples. Plant microfossils have been isolated from calculus which can be identified using light microscopy. Teeth are particularly useful in ancient DNA studies due to the excellent preservation of biomaterials within the enamel shell of the tooth.
Prehistoric dental treatments were extremely rare, and the few documented cases are known from the Neolithic, when the adoption of early farming culture caused an increase of carious lesions. Here we report the earliest evidence of dental caries intervention on a Late Upper Palaeolithic modern human specimen (Villabruna) from a burial in Northern Italy. Using Scanning Electron Microscopy we show the presence of striations deriving from the manipulation of a large occlusal carious cavity of the lower right third molar. The striations have a "V"-shaped transverse section and several parallel micro-scratches at their base, as typically displayed by cutmarks on teeth. Based on in vitro experimental replication and a complete functional reconstruction of the Villabruna dental arches, we confirm that the identified striations and the associated extensive enamel chipping on the mesial wall of the cavity were produced ante-mortem by pointed flint tools during scratching and levering activities. The Villabruna specimen is therefore the oldest known evidence of dental caries intervention, suggesting at least some knowledge of disease treatment well before the Neolithic. This study suggests that primitive forms of carious treatment in human evolution entail an adaptation of the well-known toothpicking for levering and scratching rather than drilling practices.
Earliest evidence of dental caries manipulation in the Late Upper Paleolithic
Prehistoric dental treatments were extremely rare, and the few documented cases are known from the Neolithic, when the adoption of early farming culture caused an increase of carious lesions. Here we report the earliest evidence of dental caries intervention on a Late Upper Palaeolithic modern human specimen (Villabruna) from a burial in Northern Italy. Using Scanning Electron Microscopy we show the presence of striations deriving from the manipulation of a large occlusal carious cavity of the lower right third molar. The striations have a "V"-shaped transverse section and several parallel micro-scratches at their base, as typically displayed by cutmarks on teeth. Based on in vitro experimental replication and a complete functional reconstruction of the Villabruna dental arches, we confirm that the identified striations and the associated extensive enamel chipping on the mesial wall of the cavity were produced ante-mortem by pointed flint tools during scratching and levering activities. The Villabruna specimen is therefore the oldest known evidence of dental caries intervention, suggesting at least some knowledge of disease treatment well before the Neolithic. This study suggests that primitive forms of carious treatment in human evolution entail an adaptation of the well-known toothpicking for levering and scratching rather than drilling practices.
Earliest evidence of dental caries manipulation in the Late Upper Palaeolithic
Nature Scientific Reports, 2015
Prehistoric dental treatments were extremely rare, and the few documented cases are known from the Neolithic, when the adoption of early farming culture caused an increase of carious lesions. Here we report the earliest evidence of dental caries intervention on a Late Upper Palaeolithic modern human specimen (Villabruna) from a burial in Northern Italy. Using Scanning Electron Microscopy we show the presence of striations deriving from the manipulation of a large occlusal carious cavity of the lower right third molar. The striations have a “V”-shaped transverse section and several parallel micro-scratches at their base, as typically displayed by cutmarks on teeth. Based on in vitro experimental replication and a complete functional reconstruction of the Villabruna dental arches, we confirm that the identified striations and the associated extensive enamel chipping on the mesial wall of the cavity were produced ante-mortem by pointed flint tools during scratching and levering activities. The Villabruna specimen is therefore the oldest known evidence of dental caries intervention, suggesting at least some knowledge of disease treatment well before the Neolithic. This study suggests that primitive forms of carious treatment in human evolution entail an adaptation of the well-known toothpicking for levering and scratching rather than drilling practices.