Villa G, Giacobini G
Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, University of Turin, Italy.
Am J Phys Anthropol. 1995 Jan;96(1):51-62. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.1330960106.
Subvertical grooves, located on the interproximal facets of most Neandertal posterior teeth, are less frequently noted on the teeth of other hominids, including modern humans. These grooves, 0.1-0.5 mm in width, are strictly localized within the facet area. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination of grooves present on Neandertal teeth from Caverna delle Fate (Liguria, Italy) and Genay (Côte d'Or, France) demonstrated that they were produced during the life of these individuals. Characteristics of the groove surface suggest an erosion-abrasion mechanism of formation. These grooves, which developed in parts of the dentition exposed to marked stress, originated in areas characterized by changes in the orientation of enamel prism bundles (i.e., Hunter-Schreger bands). Observations carried out on modern human molars showed a subvertical disposition of these bands near interproximal ridges facilitating subvertical microfractures. Possible correlations between enamel structure, masticatory stress, and interproximal groove formation in Neandertals are discussed.
亚垂直沟位于大多数尼安德特人后牙的邻面小平面上，而在其他原始人类（包括现代人类）的牙齿上则较少见到。这些沟宽0.1 - 0.5毫米，严格局限于小平面区域内。对来自意大利利古里亚的法泰洞穴和法国科多尔省热奈的尼安德特人牙齿上的沟进行扫描电子显微镜（SEM）检查表明，它们是在这些个体的生命过程中形成的。沟表面的特征表明其形成机制为侵蚀磨损。这些沟在牙列中承受明显应力的部位形成，起源于釉柱束（即亨特-施雷格带）方向发生变化的区域。对现代人类磨牙的观察显示，这些带在邻面嵴附近呈亚垂直排列，有利于亚垂直微骨折。本文讨论了尼安德特人釉质结构、咀嚼应力和邻面沟形成之间可能的相关性。
