hrvatski

Teeth Crowding in Late Antique and Early medieval Populations from Continental Croatia

Paleodontological investigations of populations who lived in the past on the territory of today’ s Croatia are very rare. Majority of them were focused on caries epidemiology and pathological changes of alveolar bone in order to reconstruct the dietary habits of ancient populations. There were no paleodontological investigations aimed on periodontal health or orthodontic status. Such investigations are also very rare in the world. Orthodontic anomalies including teeth crowding are often related to disturbances of growth and development of the jaws. They can provide us an indirect insight on the oral and general health of ancient populations. The aim of this paper is to determine the prevalence of teeth crowding in late antique and early medieval populations from continental Croatia. The investigation was performed on skulls of 90 adults. 49 skulls were from the late antique period (sites: Vinkovci, Osijek, Štrbinci and Zmajevac) and 41 skull was from the early medieval period (sites: Stari Jankovci and Privlaka). For each skull teeth position anomalies related to crowding were registered. There was none skull in the early medieval population with teeth crowding (41/0 ; 0.0%). The prevalence of crowding in the late antique population was 26.9% (26/7) for males and 30.4% (23/7) for females. All cases of crowding were registered on frontal teeth. 78.6% (14/11) of cases were registered on the lower jaw, and 21.4% (14/3) on the upper jaw. The difference in the prevalence of crowding was statistically significant (χ 2=11.8 ; p<0.01). Higher prevalence of teeth crowding in the late antique period can be related to health disorders in childhood which could cause disturbances in growth and development of jaws. According to the migrations in the continental Croatia in the early medieval period and mixing of native and newcoming populations, changes in jaws dimensions must also be taken into consideration as a possible etiological factor.

Paleodontology; Teeth crowding

nije evidentirano

engleski

Teeth Crowding in Late Antique and Early medieval Populations from Continental Croatia

Paleodontological investigations of populations who lived in the past on the territory of today’ s Croatia are very rare. Majority of them were focused on caries epidemiology and pathological changes of alveolar bone in order to reconstruct the dietary habits of ancient populations. There were no paleodontological investigations aimed on periodontal health or orthodontic status. Such investigations are also very rare in the world. Orthodontic anomalies including teeth crowding are often related to disturbances of growth and development of the jaws. They can provide us an indirect insight on the oral and general health of ancient populations. The aim of this paper is to determine the prevalence of teeth crowding in late antique and early medieval populations from continental Croatia. The investigation was performed on skulls of 90 adults. 49 skulls were from the late antique period (sites: Vinkovci, Osijek, Štrbinci and Zmajevac) and 41 skull was from the early medieval period (sites: Stari Jankovci and Privlaka). For each skull teeth position anomalies related to crowding were registered. There was none skull in the early medieval population with teeth crowding (41/0 ; 0.0%). The prevalence of crowding in the late antique population was 26.9% (26/7) for males and 30.4% (23/7) for females. All cases of crowding were registered on frontal teeth. 78.6% (14/11) of cases were registered on the lower jaw, and 21.4% (14/3) on the upper jaw. The difference in the prevalence of crowding was statistically significant (χ 2=11.8 ; p<0.01). Higher prevalence of teeth crowding in the late antique period can be related to health disorders in childhood which could cause disturbances in growth and development of jaws. According to the migrations in the continental Croatia in the early medieval period and mixing of native and newcoming populations, changes in jaws dimensions must also be taken into consideration as a possible etiological factor.

Paleodontology; Teeth crowding

nije evidentirano