Biological anthropology, also known as physical anthropology, is a scientific discipline concerned with the biological and behavioral aspects of human beings, their extinct hominin ancestors, and related non-human primates, particularly from an evolutionary perspective. This subfield of anthropology systematically studies human beings from a biological perspective.
Orthodontics is a dentistry specialty that addresses the diagnosis, prevention, and correction of mal-positioned teeth and jaws, and misaligned bite patterns. It may also address the modification of facial growth, known as dentofacial orthopedics.
Hypodontia is defined as the developmental absence of one or more teeth excluding the third molars. It is one of the most common dental anomalies, and can have a negative impact on function, and also appearance. It rarely occurs in primary teeth and the most commonly affected are the adult second premolars and the upper lateral incisors. It usually occurs as part of a syndrome that involves other abnormalities and requires multidisciplinary treatment.
Prognathism is a positional relationship of the mandible or maxilla to the skeletal base where either of the jaws protrudes beyond a predetermined imaginary line in the coronal plane of the skull. In general dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and orthodontics, this is assessed clinically or radiographically (cephalometrics). The word prognathism derives from Greek πρό and γνάθος. One or more types of prognathism can result in the common condition of malocclusion, in which an individual's top teeth and lower teeth do not align properly.
In orthodontics, a malocclusion is a misalignment or incorrect relation between the teeth of the upper and lower dental arches when they approach each other as the jaws close. The English-language term dates from 1864; Edward Angle (1855-1930), the "father of modern orthodontics", popularised it. The word "malocclusion" derives from occlusion, and refers to the manner in which opposing teeth meet.
Orthodontic technology is a specialty of dental technology that is concerned with the design and fabrication of dental appliances for the treatment of malocclusions, which may be a result of tooth irregularity, disproportionate jaw relationships, or both.
Izumi Shimada is a Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (SIUC) and 2007 Outstanding Scholar with research interests in the archaeology of complex pre-Hispanic cultures in the Andes, the technology and organization of craft production, mortuary analysis, experimental archaeology, the role of ideology and organized religion in cultural developments, and ecology-culture interaction.
Crossbite is a form of malocclusion where a tooth has a more buccal or lingual position than its corresponding antagonist tooth in the upper or lower dental arch. In other words, crossbite is a lateral misalignment of the dental arches.
Richard Jay Smith, an American anthropologist, is Ralph E. Morrow Distinguished Professor of Physical Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis. He is now Dean of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.
Interproximal reduction (IPR) is the practice of mechanically removing enamel from between the teeth to achieve orthodontic ends, such as to correct crowding, or reshape the contact area between neighboring teeth. After reducing the enamel, the procedure should also involve anatomic re-contouring and the protection of interproximal enamel surfaces.
Maxillary lateral incisor agenesis (MLIA) is lack of development (agenesis) of one or both of the maxillary lateral incisor teeth. In normal human dentition, this would be the second tooth on either side from the center of the top row of teeth. The condition is bilateral if the incisor is absent on both sides or unilateral if only one is missing. It appears to have a genetic component.
Long face syndrome, also referred to as skeletal open bite, is a relatively common condition characterised by excessive vertical facial development. Its causes may be either genetic or environmental. Long face syndrome is "a common dentofacial abnormality." Its diagnosis, symptomology and treatments are complex and controversial. Indeed, even its existence as a "syndrome" is disputed.
Jacob Amos Salzmann (1901–1992) was an American orthodontist who is known for developing an assessment index for determining malocclusion. This index has been adopted by ADA Council of Dental Health, the Council on Dental Care Programs, and by the American Association of Orthodontists.
Peter H. Buschang is an anthropologist, an orthodontic researcher and an orthodontic educator. He is also an honorary member of American Association of Orthodontics and Edward H. Angle Society of Orthodontists.
Dr. William J. Clark is a Scottish orthodontist known for developing Twin Block Appliance in Orthodontics. This appliance was developed by Dr. Clark in 1977 in Scotland and since then this appliance has been used in correction of Class 2 malocclusions with retrognathic mandible. He also developed invisible TransForce Appliance in 2004.
Elastics are rubber bands frequently used in the field of orthodontics to correct different types of malocclusions. The elastic wear is prescribed by an orthodontist or a dentist in an orthodontic treatment. The longevity of the elastic wear may vary from two weeks to several months. The elastic wear can be worn from 12 to 23 hours a day, either during the night or throughout the day depending on the requirements for each malocclusion. The many different types of elastics may produce different forces on teeth. Therefore, using elastics with specific forces is critical in achieving a good orthodontic occlusion.
Activator Appliance is an Orthodontics appliance that was developed by Viggo Andresen in 1908. This was one of the first functional appliances that was developed to correct functional jaw in the early 1900s. Activator appliance became the universal appliance that was used widely throughout Europe in the earlier part of the 20th century.
Open bite is a type of orthodontic malocclusion which has been estimated to occur in 0.6% of the people in the United States. This type of malocclusion has no vertical overlap or contact between the anterior incisors. The term "open bite" was coined by Carevelli in 1842.
Orthodontic indices are one of the tools that are available for orthodontists to grade and assess malocclusion. Orthodontic indices can be useful for an epidemiologist to analyse prevalence and severity of malocclusion in any population.
Human jaw shrinkage is the phenomenon of continued size reduction of the human mandible and maxilla over the past 12,000-15,000 years. Modern human lifestyles and diets are vastly different now than they were for most of human evolutionary history. Human jaws, as well as oral cavities, have been shrinking ever since the Neolithic agricultural revolution. This has been confirmed by bone remains dated to this time period. Researchers are able to infer the basic lifestyle practices of past cultures, enabling them to link jaw size with lifestyle practice/behaviors. Bones from burial sites of past hunter-gatherer societies are associated with larger jaws and mouths, while bones retrieved from former farming cultures have decreased jaw size. Bones from farming societies also indicate the presence of dental malocclusions, commonly known as non-straight teeth. Within recent centuries, as food has become more processed and soft in form, a rapid increase in non-straight teeth, smaller jaws and mouths, a lack of space for wisdom teeth, and associated health conditions have been observed; such conditions include sleep apnea, constricted airways, and decreased respiratory fitness. Medical professionals have been making similar observations and documenting them for hundreds of years. Changes in diet, lifestyle, and breathing patterns have led to maladaptive phenotypic expression in terms of morphological craniofacial development that starts in childhood, but persists throughout the lifespan.
