Kullmer, Ottmar; Benazzi, Stefano; Fiorenza, Luca; Schulz, Dieter; Bacso, Stefan; Winzen, Olaf

Author(s)

Kullmer, Ottmar

Benazzi, Stefano

Fiorenza, Luca

Schulz, Dieter

Bacso, Stefan

Winzen, Olaf

Publication Date

2009

Abstract

Information about food ingestion and mastication behavior during the lifespan of an individual is encoded in the dental occlusal wear pattern. To decode this information, we describe a new method called occlusal fingerprint analysis (OFA). Structural parameters of wear facets on the occlusal surface of teeth are quantified from digitized casts for the interpretation of occlusal aspects. The OFA provides an individual three-dimensional dental occlusal compass that indicates the major pathways of interaction between antagonists, revealing information about development, spatial position, and enlargement of wear facets. Humans develop a very similar overall pattern of crown contacts, although specific characteristics of wear facets reflect an individual's occlusal relationships and masticatory behavior. We hypothesize that the wear pattern is a unique character and therefore valuable for individual identification. Furthermore we suggest that OFA, when further developed, may be useful for identification of behavioral, biological, and chemical factors affecting crown morphology.

Citation

American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 139(4), p. 600-605

ISSN

1096-8644

0002-9483

Link

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/7984

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons, Inc

Title

Technical Note: Occlusal Fingerprint Analysis: Quantification of Tooth Wear Pattern

Type of document

Journal Article

Entity Type

Publication

Author(s)	Kullmer, Ottmar Benazzi, Stefano Fiorenza, Luca Schulz, Dieter Bacso, Stefan Winzen, Olaf
Publication Date	2009
Abstract	Information about food ingestion and mastication behavior during the lifespan of an individual is encoded in the dental occlusal wear pattern. To decode this information, we describe a new method called occlusal fingerprint analysis (OFA). Structural parameters of wear facets on the occlusal surface of teeth are quantified from digitized casts for the interpretation of occlusal aspects. The OFA provides an individual three-dimensional dental occlusal compass that indicates the major pathways of interaction between antagonists, revealing information about development, spatial position, and enlargement of wear facets. Humans develop a very similar overall pattern of crown contacts, although specific characteristics of wear facets reflect an individual's occlusal relationships and masticatory behavior. We hypothesize that the wear pattern is a unique character and therefore valuable for individual identification. Furthermore we suggest that OFA, when further developed, may be useful for identification of behavioral, biological, and chemical factors affecting crown morphology.
Citation	American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 139(4), p. 600-605
ISSN	1096-8644 0002-9483
Link	https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/7984
Publisher	John Wiley & Sons, Inc
Title	Technical Note: Occlusal Fingerprint Analysis: Quantification of Tooth Wear Pattern
Type of document	Journal Article
Entity Type	Publication

Technical Note: Occlusal Fingerprint Analysis: Quantification of Tooth Wear Pattern

Files: