The importance of paralleling technique in the diagnostic of dental-skeletal dysmorphia in ancient populations. Cranio-facial architecture and occlusion

• Published in: Forensic imaging (Online) 2020-03, Vol.20, p.100344, Article 100344
• Main Authors: Hadjouis, Djillali, Katz, Philippe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algeria, Mechta-afalou; Biodynamic; Cranio-facial architecture; Occlusion; Parallelling technique
• ISSN: 2666-2256; 2666-2256
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jofri.2019.100344

Over the last few years, historical populations originating essentially from necropolises and being used as reference have been studied from a standpoint of biodynamical and architectural methodology of the cranium and the face and their relations to occlusion. The same analytic parameters have been used on Homo Sapiens from Algeria, in respect thereof the humans from Mechta-Afalou. As to the cranio-facial set, it is no longer the cranial morphological description for a given progressive period that prevails, but rather the individual growth rhythm in a progressive population, taking into account its developmental anomalies and pathologies. The dentitions that are an integral part of the cranio-facial architecture are then correlated to the whole harmonic or disharmonic cranium/face on one hand and, on the other hand, to the vertebral column when this latter is more or less well preserved. This anatomical reading is based on architectural parameters of biodynamic morphogenesis through medical imaging such as paralleling technique or scanning. Paralleling technique was systematically used and an analysis done on all the archeological crania from the Afalou Bou Rhummel site (Bedjaia, Algeria) with a temporomandibular joint or calvaria. Their study allows to point to certain periods the cranio-facial architectural chart as well as the occlusal balance or disbalance and for the latter, if appropriate, to find the cause. All in all, the biodynamic and occlusal analysis of hominids from Algeria not only allows us to discover their cranio-facial architecture, but also contributes to a better understanding of the occlusion in contemporary Algerians. The latter have been the subject for a few years of an architectural and occlusal analysis in comparison to contemporary Saharan and Sub Saharan populations.