Introduction to Dental Anthropology

The Foreword by Clark Larsen nicely addresses the content and purpose of this volume. Beyond that, the reader can look at the table of contents to ponder the topic of each chapter without us having to (re)state the obvious. So we will keep this chapter short and to the point. Think of it primarily as “reading instructions,” or at least suggested guidelines, to get the most out of this book. What you hold before you, whether tactilely or virtually, is a text/reader/reference book or, if all else fails, paperweight, on the subject of all things teeth and tooth related. That is, we are talking teeth from the perspective of dental anthropologists. So what is the definition of “dental anthropology”? There is no need to reinvent the wheel when we have the internet. According to the Medical Dictionary for the Dental Professions (2012), it is “[a] branch of physical anthropology concerned with the origin, evolution, and development of dentition of primates, especially humans, and to the relationship between primates’ dentition and their physical and social r elationships.” That d efinition works. The reasons why teeth are studied are numerous. For one thing, they are made up of the two hardest tissues in the body, so are the most likely to be preserved in the fossil and archaeological records. Think about it. Many fossil primate species are defined based on teeth. Given that teeth are the only components of the skeleton to come into direct contact with the environment, we can learn about diet, health, and even certain cultural factors of individuals and groups. Throw in the facts that tooth size and shape have high genetic components in expression and that, unlike bone, this expression does not remodel itself during life (other than via crown wear and pathology), and we have an excellent ChApter 1