Lack of biological mortality bias in the timing of dental formation in contemporary children

Implications for the study of past populations

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8312977
AutoresL Spake (0000-0002-2243-7356, Religion Programme and Centre for Research on Evolution, Belief and Behaviour, University of Otago Dunedinm New Zealand, autor correspondente), Robert D Hoppa (0000-0003-2438-7775, Department of Anthropology University of Manitoba Winnipeg Canada), Blau (0000-0001-6499-7741, Forensic Services, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Southbank Australia), Horacio Cardoso (0000-0003-1338-101X, Simon Fraser University), Hugo F V Cardoso (Department of Archaeology and Centre for Forensic Research Simon Fraser University Burnaby Canada)
Ano2021
Volume174
Fascículo4
Páginas646-660
Data de publicação2021-04-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.24218
PMID33393681
OpenAlexW3119811393
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas7
Referências citadas68

OBJECTIVES: Biological mortality bias is the idea that individuals who perish (non-survivors) are biologically distinct from those who survive (survivors). If biological mortality bias is large enough, bioarchaeological studies of nonsurvivors (skeletal samples) cannot accurately represent the experiences of the survivors of that population. This effect is particularly problematic for the study of juvenile individuals, as growth is particularly sensitive to environmental insults. In this study, we test whether biological mortality bias exists in one dimension of growth, namely dental development. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Postmortem computed tomography scans of 206 children aged 12 years and younger at death were collected from two institutions in the United States and Australia. The sample was separated into children dying from natural causes as proxies for non-survivors and from accidental causes as proxies for survivors. Differences in the timing of dental development were assessed using sequential logistic regressions between dental formation stages and residual analysis of dental minus chronological age. RESULTS: No consistent delay in age of attainment of dental stages was documented between survivors and non-survivors. Delays between survivors and non-survivors in dental relative to chronological age were greatest for infants, and were greater for females than for males. DISCUSSION: Lack of biological mortality bias in dental development reinforces confidence in juvenile age estimates and therefore in skeletal growth profiles and growth studies. As dental development is known to be less environmentally sensitive than skeletal growth and development, further studies should examine biological mortality bias in long bone length

Accidental · Biological age · Biology · Juvenile · Population · Bone health and osteoporosis research · Demography · Dental Health and Care Utilization · Ecology · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Medicine · Gerontology