LAWRENCE, Kan., USA: A new study led by a University of Kansas researcher has discovered multiple toothpick grooves on teeth and signs of other dental manipulations by a Neanderthal of 130,000 years ago. These findings are evidence of a kind of prehistoric dentistry and form of self-treatment to relieve dental discomfort.
David Frayer, Professor Emeritus of Biological Anthropology, and his research team at the university analyzed four isolated, but associated mandibular teeth on the left side of the Neanderthal’s mouth, which were found at the Krapina site in Croatia. The teeth were discovered more than 100 years ago at the site, which was originally excavated between 1899 and 1905. In recent years, Frayer and co-author Dr. Davorka Radovčić have re-examined many of the items retrieved. In this case, they analyzed the teeth under a light microscope to document occlusal wear, toothpick groove formation, dentin scratches and antemortem lingual enamel fractures.
“As a package, this fits together as a dental problem that the Neanderthal was having and was trying to presumably treat itself, with the toothpick grooves, the breaks and also with the scratches on the premolar,” said Frayer. “It was an interesting connection or collection of phenomena that fit together in a way that we would expect a modern human to do. Everybody has had dental pain, and they know what it’s like to have a problem with an impacted tooth.”
The features of the examined teeth are associated with several kinds of dental manipulations. Mostly because the damage to the teeth was on the lingual aspect and at different angles, the researchers ruled out something having happened to the teeth after the Neanderthal died. Past research in the fossil record has identified toothpick grooves going back almost 2 million years, Frayer explained. The researchers did not identify what the Neanderthal would have used to produce the grooves, but it could possibly have been bone or grass stems.
“It’s maybe not surprising that a Neanderthal did this, but as far as I know, there’s no specimen that combines all of this together into a pattern that would indicate he or she was trying to presumably self-treat this eruption problem,” he added.
The study, titled “Prehistoric dentistry? P4 rotation, partial M3 impaction, toothpick grooves and other signs of manipulation in Krapina Dental Person 20,” was published in the June issue of the Bulletin of the International Association for Paleodontology.
Tags:
NEW YORK, U.S.: Throughout history, human exposure to various metals and its effects have been investigated numerous times. In a new study, scientists from ...
LONDON, UK: Looking back in time through archaeology has revealed many insights to explain where Homo sapiens came from. By examining teeth, scientists have...
CALGARY, Alberta, Canada: Researchers studying a 400-million-year-old bony fish from Estonia believe that they have found evidence for the origin of teeth. ...
TOULOUSE, France: In a recent study, French, Italian and Spanish researchers have investigated some of the oldest fossil dental remains from Middle ...
BUFFALO, N.Y., US: As the field of medicine continues to evolve, the American Dental Association (ADA) has recognised the importance of integrating ...
LONDON, UK: The hormonal changes that women experience in the menopause may cause cognitive, physical and psychological symptoms, and these are well ...
When we think of artificial intelligence (AI), our minds often conjure up images of sentient humanoid robots from iconic science fiction films like 2001: A ...
LEIPZIG, Germany: The ecology of Neanderthals is a pressing area of enquiry in the study of the evolution of hominins (modern humans and their fossil ...
BURGOS, Spain: There are many scientists arguing that the Neanderthal lineage evolved linearly. However, a paper by a team of researchers from the Centro ...
The power of artificial intelligence (AI) has great application not only in general healthcare but also in specialised fields such as dentistry. On 27 ...
Live webinar
Mon. 29 April 2024
12:30 pm EST (New York)
Prof. Roland Frankenberger Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. dent.
Live webinar
Tue. 30 April 2024
1:00 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Fri. 3 May 2024
1:00 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Tue. 7 May 2024
8:00 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Thu. 9 May 2024
8:00 pm EST (New York)
Live webinar
Mon. 13 May 2024
9:00 am EST (New York)
Live webinar
Mon. 13 May 2024
1:00 pm EST (New York)
Doc. MUDr. Eva Kovaľová PhD.
Brazil / Brasil
Canada / Canada
Latin America / Latinoamérica
USA / USA
Austria / Österreich
Bosnia and Herzegovina / Босна и Херцеговина
Bulgaria / България
Croatia / Hrvatska
Czech Republic & Slovakia / Česká republika & Slovensko
France / France
Germany / Deutschland
Greece / ΕΛΛΑΔΑ
Italy / Italia
Netherlands / Nederland
Nordic / Nordic
Poland / Polska
Portugal / Portugal
Romania & Moldova / România & Moldova
Slovenia / Slovenija
Serbia & Montenegro / Србија и Црна Гора
Spain / España
Switzerland / Schweiz
Turkey / Türkiye
UK & Ireland / UK & Ireland
China / 中国
India / भारत गणराज्य
Japan / 日本
Pakistan / Pākistān
Vietnam / Việt Nam
ASEAN / ASEAN
Israel / מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל
Algeria, Morocco & Tunisia / الجزائر والمغرب وتونس
Middle East / Middle East
Prof. Roland Frankenberger Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. dent.Register now1CELive webinar
Dr. Luis TovimRegister now1CELive webinar
Dr. Lawrence BrechtLive webinar
Dr. Bruno JhamRegister now1CE:sharpen(level=0):output(format=png)/up/dt/2014/02/3shape.png "3Shape")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Shutterstock_1017664873.jpg "Nuvola aligners combined with a myofunctional device in paediatric treatment: A case report")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Treating-periodontal-disease-reduces-atrial-fibrillation-recurrence.jpg "Treating periodontal disease reduces atrial fibrillation recurrence")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/3Shape-charts-sustainable-course-with-release-of-comprehensive-sustainability-report-2023.jpg "3Shape releases comprehensive sustainability report for 2023")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Zumax-Medical-Image-1.jpg "Zumax Medical: From endodontics to general dentistry")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/IDEM-2024-Wraps-up-its-13th-edition-with-record-breaking-success.jpg "IDEM 2024 delivers on “Exceptional Dentistry: Techniques, Technologies and Trends”")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2014/02/3shape.png "3Shape")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2022/01/Sprintray_Logo_2506x700.png "SprintRay"){kind=logo}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2022/01/Straumann_Logo_neu-.png "Straumann"){kind=logo}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/01/UnionTech-Logo-Hub.png "UnionTech"){kind=logo}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2022/01/HASSBIO_Logo_horizontal.png "HASSBIO"){kind=logo}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2014/02/Planmeca.png "Planmeca")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2017/07/Neanderthal-teeth-780.jpg "Evidence of prehistoric dentistry found in Neanderthal teeth")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Shutterstock_1017664873.jpg "Nuvola aligners combined with a myofunctional device in paediatric treatment: A case report")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/wp-content/themes/dt/images/dt-user.gif "Dental Tribune International")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2018/11/neanderthal-teeth-1-of-1.jpg "Researchers find traces of lead in 250,000-year-old Neanderthal teeth")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2019/05/Research-on-fossilised-teeth-redefines-human-and-Neanderthal-history.jpg "Research on fossilised teeth redefines human and Neanderthal history")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2017/09/fish-780.png "First hard evidence for outside-in theory of origin of teeth")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2018/10/teeth-1.jpg "Researchers find Neanderthal-like features in 450,000-year-old teeth")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Study-points-to-lack-of-formal-education-on-cannabis-in-dentistry.jpg "Study points to lack of formal education on cannabis in dentistry")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2023/10/Increasing-awareness-of-menopause-in-dentistry.jpg "Increasing awareness of menopause in dentistry")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/02/The-transformative-power-of-AI-in-dentistry_1-image-machine-learning-.jpg "The transformative power of AI in dentistry")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2018/07/2018_07_10_Neanderthals-diet_shutterstock_547018717.jpg "Dental calculus indicates plant consumption in Neanderthal diet")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2018/01/moni.jpg "Fossil mandible points to complexity of Neanderthals’ origin")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2023/10/Leveraging-the-power-of-artificial-intelligence-in-dentistry.jpg "Leveraging the power of artificial intelligence in dentistry")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Shutterstock_1017664873.jpg "Nuvola aligners combined with a myofunctional device in paediatric treatment: A case report")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Treating-periodontal-disease-reduces-atrial-fibrillation-recurrence.jpg "Treating periodontal disease reduces atrial fibrillation recurrence")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/3Shape-charts-sustainable-course-with-release-of-comprehensive-sustainability-report-2023.jpg "3Shape releases comprehensive sustainability report for 2023")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/wp-content/themes/dt/images/3dprinting-banner.jpg "3D Printing Banner")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/wp-content/themes/dt/images/aligners-banner.jpg "3D Printing Banner")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/wp-content/themes/dt/images/covid-banner.jpg "3D Printing Banner")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/wp-content/themes/dt/images/roots-banner-2024.jpg "3D Printing Banner")
To post a reply please login or register