The chronological distribution of enamel hypoplasia in human permanent incisor and canine teeth.

The frequencies and chronology, based on a standard tooth development chart, of enamel hypoplasia derived from permanent upper central incisors and mandibular canines were compared for 42 prehistoric Amerindians. Between 0.5 and 4.5 years, when the crowns of both these teeth are developing, hypoplasias were 1.36 times more common on the incisors (54 hypoplasias/incisor; 40 hypoplasias/canine). Hypoplasias on incisors occurred earlier (mean = 2.50; median at 2.0-2.5 years) compared to the canine (mean = 3.51; median at 3.5-4.0 years). Differences in published frequencies and chronologies of hypoplasias may be explained, in part, by an indefinable variation in the teeth studied. The highest density of hypoplasias on both tooth crowns was just cervical to the midpoint, suggesting that developmental rates and crown geometry may influence the ability of the crown to record stressful events.