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- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
This study was conducted to determine the difference in compressive strength between decayed and healthy teeth. The teeth were subjected to a compressive force to simulate the process of mastication. This was done to show that healthy teeth would be better at handling these compressive forces since they have more enamel. 26 teeth samples were collected (19 molars, 4 canines, and 3 premolars) evenly distributed between healthy and decayed. The samples were dimensionally analyzed using electronic calipers and then categorized as either decayed or healthy. The samples were then placed in a nut bolt with epoxy so that the samples could be compressed. Each sample was recorded on video while they were being exposed to the compressive force. This was done to observe how the samples were coming in contact with the Shimadzu compression machine. The amount of force that was required for the samples to exhibit the first point of breakage was recorded by the machine in pounds of force. Various analyses were conducted to determine relationships between several variables. The results showed that as the total and occlusal surface area increased, so did the amount of force the samples could absorb before breakage. As the machine came in contact with more cusps among the molar samples, those samples were able to absorb a larger compressive force. The average force that the decayed and healthy molar samples endured before breakage was roughly even, with the decayed samples average being slightly greater.
ASU’s Bioarchaeology of Nubia Expedition (BONE) led by Dr. Brenda Baker discovered the remains of a female individual from the Classic Kerma period with a preserved large teratoma containing hard tissue components including two molariform teeth. There are only three previous recorded instances of teratomas in a paleopathological setting.
This study analyzed the characteristics of teeth found within a teratoma and compared them to permanent oral dentition to ascertain the degree to which dental development is affected by local growth environment. Permanent (oral) molars from multiple individuals and 2 teratoma teeth from a singular individual from the BONE site were analyzed alongside a comparative sample of permanent (oral) molars from an unrelated, more modern population. MicroCT scans were used to create digital renditions of the teeth to create 3D and 2D models to analyze the enamel and dentine of the teeth to measure their morphological characteristics. The relative enamel thickness and the absolute occlusal enamel volumes were calculated. The study found that there are significant differences in enamel thickness between the teratoma teeth and any of its oral cavity counterparts.
This study is unique in that it is the first study to analyze teeth from a teratoma to permanent teeth from the oral cavity using 2D and 3D digital dental models created from microCT data. It is also the first study to analyze these morphological characteristics in an archaeological sample.