MAXILLODENTAL PATHOLOGIES IN A LAST ROMAN POPULATION OF CARISSA AURELIA (ESPERA, CADIZ, SPAIN)

Caadas Santiago, S.(1); Lpez Costas, O.(1); Garcia Pura, C.(1)

(1) Laboratory of Physical Anthropology. University of Granada, Spain CORRESPONDENCE: Caadas Santiago, Samuel. Camino de Ronda 202, 4C, 18003, Granada, Spain

ABSTRACT: We present a study of the dental health of a Late Roman population in the southwest of Spain. Due to the bad preservation of the skeletons of sub-adults, the study concentrates on individuals of 20 years of age and over. Of the 78 individuals examined, 51.3% are male, 37.2% are female and 3.8% are alofisos. The majority are adults (56.4%), while seniles present the lowest percentage (5.1%).

100 80 % 60 40 20 0 A dul t M adur e Senes cent 68, 1 75 66,6

DENTAL CARIES

61.5% of the population studied presents at least one caries. The teeth worst affected are the molars (28.4%), followed by the premolars (7.2%), the canines (5.5%) and the incisors (3.2%). There is no distinct difference according to sex or age. The third molar is the most badly affected tooth in most cases.
Right lower jaw with two lesions from caries on the first and the third molar, in an adult male.

Incidence of caries in different age groups.

Lesion from caries on a molar, in a senile female

TEETH LOSS AND PERIODONTAL DISEASE

TEETH LOSS ANTEMORTEM: The highest loss rate is observed in the molars (17.4%). On the other hand, the canines are the teeth more often preserved in situ (3.9%). Teeth loss increases according to age. In all cases the first molars are the teeth with the highest loss rate antemortem. The loss rate of incisors is higher in males (12.8%) than in females (2.5%).
First premolar loss antemortem; rests of tartar on the second molar of a lower jaw.

ENAMEL HYPOPLASIA

PERIODONTAL DISEASE is present in a considerable percentage of individuals (66.2%). The incidence increases with age. It is commoner in males (69.4%) than in females (61.5%).

PERIAPICAL LESIONS
Periapical lesions of some kind occur in 14.1% of the population. There are no great differences between sexes and age groups. The worst affected teeth in all cases are the canines (2.7%).

Hypoplasia of the enamel is observed in 68.7% of the population studied. The degree of hypoplasia was measured on the canines and three levels can be distinguished on the extent to which the crown is affected. High and low degree hypoplasia occurs with the s a m e frequency, while moderate degree is
10 0

80

Hypoplasia lines on premolars of an upper jaw, in a mature male.

SLI GHT M ODERAT E

Degrees of hypoplasia in the population and according to sex and age.

60

40

SERI OUS

20

SPECIAL FEATURES

Two cases of periapical lesions on two upper jaws.

Two cases of retention of deciduous canines with inclusion or with periapical lesions

Lower jaw on which bone loss from the roots is observed, possibly due to periodontal disease.

There are numerous cases of retention of the deciduous teeth in adults. In many cases retention is accompanied by replacement or inclusion of permanent canine teeth and a high possibility of the appearance of some kind of lesion in this area.

Lower jaw with an inclusion of the lower left canine.

Cases of inclusion are observed in all the canines except the right ones.

DISCUSSION: A high percentage of individuals presents some kind of maxillodental pathology, pointing to poor dental health. This becomes clearer if it is borne in mind that there is a high percentage of young individuals. The percentage of individuals with hypoplasia is high, indicative of some kind of stress during the formation of the enamel. It is possible that minor differences existed in dietary habits between males and females. Males present a higher frequency of periodontitis, while females present a slightly higher degree of hypoplasia. The incidence of caries does not increase appreciably with age. On the contrary, there is an increase of periodontitis and teeth loss. The presence of deciduous canines in several adults possibly bespeaks a degree of kinship. The lower left canine presents a higher degree of retention.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1 Hillson, S. (1996). Dental Anthropology. Cambridge University Press 2 Aufderheide, A. C. & Rodrguez-Martn C. (1998). The Cambridge encyclopedia of human paleopathology. Cambridge University Press. 3 Baxaras, J. (2002). La enfermedad en la Hispania Romana: estudio de una necrpolis tarraconense.Libros Prtico 4 Campillo, D. (2001). Introduccin a la paleopatologa. Edicions Bellaterra. 5 Chimenos, E. et al (1999). Propuesta de protocolo de valoracin de parmetros en Paleodontologa. Gaceta dental, 102:44-52. 6 Hillson, S. (1996). Dental Anthropology. Cambridge University Press. 7 Ubelaker, D.H. (1989) Human skeletal remains. Excavation, analysis, interpretation. Manuals on Archeology 2. Taraxacum. Washington.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We wish to thank our friends from Astypalaia for the remarks to this poster.
CAJ