Danube Private University, Förthofstraße 2, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria.
Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Materials Science, Leipzig University, Liebigstr. 12, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Ann Anat. 2021 May;235:151675. doi: 10.1016/j.aanat.2021.151675. Epub 2021 Jan 27.
The prevalence of hard tissue formations in the dental pulp varies considerably. Beside ageing processes and irritations of the dental pulp, etiological associations with cardiovascular disease and dietary habits have been discussed, which are of particular research interest. The aim of this pilot study is to provide new insights on structural and etiological factors involved in the development of pulp calcifications by investigating skeletal remains from different (pre)historic periods.
The jaws of 46 skeletons excavated in central Germany, were examined for the presence of pulp stones using digital volume tomography (DVT). A total of 1122 teeth were examined with all tooth types considered. To obtain information about the three-dimensional structure of pulp calcifications, micro-CT images were taken. Thin sections of three molars were histologically analysed. Potential dietary effects were studied by analysing stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (δN) in bone samples collected from each individual.
The analysis indicates that pulp stones affect molars in particular and increase slightly with age and dental wear. The micro-CT scans and the histological analysis show that the structures are much more complex than presumed on the basis of DVT imaging. Individuals with lower δN-isotope values and thus with a potentially lower proportion of animal protein in their diet appear to be less affected by pulp stones.
When comparing between archaeological and recent data, DVT analysis provides qualitatively comparable results. Micro-CT and histological images illustrate the excellent preservation of pulp calcifications and their complex structure. Differences in prevalence rates and δN-isotope values of Neolithic and historical individuals support the assumption that dietary habits and living conditions could have an influence on the development of pulp calcifications. Due to the small sample size these results require further validation.
牙髓内硬组织形成的患病率差异很大。除了年龄相关的牙髓老化过程和刺激因素外，还讨论了与心血管疾病和饮食习惯的病因关联，这些关联具有特别的研究意义。本初步研究旨在通过研究来自不同（史前）时期的骨骼遗骸，为牙髓钙化发展过程中涉及的结构和病因因素提供新的见解。
使用数字容积断层扫描（DVT）检查在德国中部挖掘的 46 具骨骼的颌骨中是否存在牙髓结石。共检查了 1122 颗牙齿，包括所有类型的牙齿。为了获得牙髓钙化的三维结构信息，拍摄了微 CT 图像。对三颗磨牙进行了组织学分析。通过分析从每个人收集的骨样本中的氮稳定同位素比值（δN）来研究潜在的饮食影响。
分析表明，牙髓结石特别影响磨牙，并且随着年龄和牙齿磨损而略有增加。微 CT 扫描和组织学分析表明，这些结构比基于 DVT 成像所假设的要复杂得多。δN 值较低的个体（因此其饮食中动物蛋白的比例可能较低）受牙髓结石的影响较小。
在比较考古学和现代数据时，DVT 分析提供了定性可比的结果。微 CT 和组织学图像说明了牙髓钙化的极好保存及其复杂的结构。新石器时代和历史时期个体的流行率和 δN 同位素值的差异支持了这样一种假设，即饮食习惯和生活条件可能会对牙髓钙化的发展产生影响。由于样本量较小，这些结果需要进一步验证。
