New regression formula to estimate the prenatal crown formation time of human deciduous central incisors derived from a Roman Imperial sample (Velia, Salerno, Italy, I-II cent. CE)

The characterization and quantification of human dental enamel microstructure, in both permanent and deciduous teeth, allows us to document crucial growth parameters and to identify stressful events, thus contributing to the reconstruction of the past life history of an individual. Most studies to d...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2017-07, Vol.12 (7), p.e0180104-e0180104
Main Authors: Nava, Alessia, Bondioli, Luca, Coppa, Alfredo, Dean, Christopher, Rossi, Paola Francesca, Zanolli, Clément
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accessibility
Age
Algorithms
Archaeology
Biological anthropology
Dental enamel
Dental Enamel - embryology
Dental Enamel - ultrastructure
Editors
Enamel
Fetuses
Humanities and Social Sciences
Humans
Incisor - embryology
Incisor - ultrastructure
Incisors
Infants
Life history
Methods and statistics
Microstructures
Paleodontology - methods
Parameter identification
Physiology
Populations
Pregnancy
Reconstruction
Regression analysis
Robustness (mathematics)
Roman World
Teeth
Tooth Crown - embryology
Tooth Crown - ultrastructure
Tooth, Deciduous - embryology
Tooth, Deciduous - ultrastructure
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Summary:The characterization and quantification of human dental enamel microstructure, in both permanent and deciduous teeth, allows us to document crucial growth parameters and to identify stressful events, thus contributing to the reconstruction of the past life history of an individual. Most studies to date have focused on the more accessible post-natal portion of the deciduous dental enamel, even though the analysis of prenatal enamel is pivotal in understanding fetal growth, and reveals information about the mother's health status during pregnancy. This contribution reports new data describing the prenatal enamel development of 18 central deciduous incisors from the Imperial Roman necropolis of Velia (I-II century CE, Salerno, Italy). Histomorphometrical analysis was performed to collect data on prenatal crown formation times, daily secretion rates and enamel extension rates. Results for the Velia sample allowed us to derive a new regression formula, using a robust statistical approach, that describes the average rates of deciduous enamel formation. This can now be used as a reference for pre-industrial populations. The same regression formula, even when daily incremental markings are difficult to visualize, may provide a clue to predicting the proportion of infants born full term and pre-term in an archaeological series.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0180104