Continuous eruption and periodontal status in pre‐industrial dentitions

Abstract

Abstract Continuous eruption in response to attrition has been reported for different tooth groups in preindustrial remains. However, no full intra‐arch and inter‐arch comparison of eruption has been undertaken. The position of the gingival margin, which is unknown in skeletal dentitions, is important in assessing periodontal disease and also in establishing whether root exposure occurred as continuous eruption progressed. The apical margin of supragingival calculus (SGC) provides a marker of the original gingival crest and could be used to study loss of attachment in dental remains. Thirty nine Irish pre‐industrial dentitions were examined for continuous eruption, and 17 for the position of the gingival margin. To score attrition an index was devised. The apical border of supragingival calculus represented the gingival margin. Cemento‐enamel junction (CEJ) to alveolar crest (AC) and SGC‐AC measurements were recorded at six sites on teeth. Intra‐arch analyses indicated no differences for the rate of continuous eruption between tooth groups. Inter‐arch comparison revealed that the degree of eruption was greater in the mandible than in the maxilla (p < 0.001). At 84 per cent of sites SGC‐AC was 3 mm or less. The mean distance of SGC‐AC was 3.1 mm. The estimated mean sulcus depths were 1.27 mm in the mandible and 1.3 mm in the maxilla, the difference was not significant. Evidence of pocketing of > 3 mm occurred at 1.8 per cent of sites. The distance of SGC‐AC followed a distinct pattern with tooth type. Proximal CEJ‐AC values were less than buccal‐lingual levels (p < 0.001), suggesting that periodontal disease was not a major feature of the dentitions examined. It is concluded that in the dentitions examined: (i) continuous eruption was greater in the mandible; (ii) chronic periodontitis with pocketing and loss of proximal AC was not a significant finding; (iii) the position of the gingival margin was maintained at a relatively stable relationship with the AC, which would have resulted in root exposure as attrition progressed. These observations indicate that caution is required when interpreting evidence of attachment loss as an indicator of periodontal disease in pre‐industrial remains and contemporary populations exhibiting high rates of functional attrition.

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