Esclassan R, Boimond L, Sevin A, Donat R, Lucas S, Grimoud A M
Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, Université Paul-Sabatier, 03, Chemin des Maraîchers, Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
Rev Stomatol Chir Maxillofac. 2009 Feb;110(1):9-15. doi: 10.1016/j.stomax.2008.04.011. Epub 2008 Dec 10.
The aim of the authors was to study dental attrition in a medieval sample of paired mandibles and maxillas from the Southwest France (IX to XV century).
We selected 58 adult individuals with maxillas and mandibles in good state of conservation, 29 women and 29 men from the medieval collection of Vilarnau-d'Amont (Western Pyrenees, France). Attrition was graded according to the Brabant index.
We found a high prevalence of attrition in this sample. The first molars (M1) were the maxillary and mandibular teeth most concerned by attrition. The most frequent attrition level was level 2, with dentin exposure. We did not find any significant difference of tooth wear between maxillary and mandibular teeth, even if maxillary teeth seemed to be more worn. There was symmetry of attrition between the left and right side. There was no significant difference between men and women.
Working on paired mandibles and maxillas showed that attrition in the middle age was a global phenomenon, intermaxillary and symmetric. It was much more severe than today, rapidly evolving and generalized because of the abrasive quality of food, cooking, chewing habits, and intensity of chewing pressure.
