Osteoarchaeological Research Laboratory, Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies, Stockholm University, Wallenberg Laboratory, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
Clin Oral Investig. 2011 Oct;15(5):681-9. doi: 10.1007/s00784-010-0447-1. Epub 2010 Aug 13.
In skeletal remains, teeth are valuable sources of information regarding age, diet, and health. Dental wear is especially helpful in reconstructions of dietary patterns in populations of varying subsistence. In past societies, teeth have also been used as "a third hand" or as a "tool." The present article examines this type of dental wear and traits attributed to habitual behavior during prehistoric and historic times. Terminology and classification of habitual dental wear are described mainly by appearance, for instance, notching, grooving, cuts, scrapes, and polished surfaces, and their characteristics are illuminated by different case studies. Secondary health effects caused by the extramasticatory use of teeth, such as periapical lesions, tilting, skeletal changes at the temporomandibular joint, chipping, and antemortem tooth loss are also examined. During the examination of extramasticatory dental wear, information should be recorded on morphology, size, frequency, intensity, and location within the dental arch, as well as descriptions and detailed photographic documentation. The advantage of using a low- to medium-resolution microscope in all dental examination is emphasized. By categorizing the wear marks, characteristics are emphasized rather than an exact causing agent. In this way, tentative analogies for the origin of different extramasticatory wear, and consequently for human behavior in the past, can be avoided.
在骨骼遗骸中，牙齿是有关年龄、饮食和健康的宝贵信息来源。牙齿磨损对于重建不同生计方式的人群的饮食模式尤其有帮助。在过去的社会中，牙齿也被用作“第三只手”或“工具”。本文研究了这种类型的牙齿磨损以及史前和历史时期习惯性行为所具有的特征。习惯性牙齿磨损的术语和分类主要根据外观来描述，例如，凹痕、凹槽、切口、刮痕和抛光表面，并通过不同的案例研究阐明了它们的特征。牙齿的非咀嚼性使用所导致的继发性健康影响，如根尖病变、倾斜、颞下颌关节的骨骼变化、碎裂和生前牙齿脱落，也进行了检查。在检查非咀嚼性牙齿磨损时，应记录形态、大小、频率、强度和在牙弓内的位置，以及描述和详细的照片记录。强调在所有牙齿检查中使用低到中等分辨率显微镜的优势。通过对磨损痕迹进行分类，可以强调特征而不是确切的致因。通过这种方式，可以避免为不同非咀嚼性磨损的起源以及过去人类行为的起源提出暂定的类比。
