The Relationship between Crown Size and Complexity in Two Collections

Abstract

Many studies show human tooth crown size increases with increasing crown complexity (i.e., extra cusps, tubercles or grooves). Plio-Pleistocene hominid tooth size reduction has also incurred reduction in complexity, which plays into many theories that attempt to explain this well known, sustained odontometric reduction. We correlated various types of tooth complexity with measured tooth size in two collections: the widely used ASU dental models (238 MD and BL dimensions of 119 teeth involved in 19 post-incisor model plaques), and in Newton Plantation slave remains from Barbados (736 dimensions of 368 teeth from ca. 100 individuals consisting of 8 post-canine types: mandibular premolars and molars, and maxillary molars). Significant positive correlations show crown size and crown complexity decrease together, thus either type of data might serve to document this decline. However the degree and pattern of this positive correlation was distinct in the two samples.