dentalattrition

1. The original modification of Holly Smith (1984:Fig. 3, p. 46) was derived from seriation of Mesolithic Portuguese mandibles, from the site of Moita do Sebastião. Eleven wear stages for fully adult mandibles were identified. Later sites with slower attrition rates required different formulations.

2. The definitions of variations of lower molar attrition led to a diagram which differs in detail from that of Smith, 1984. Here we see lower molars of wear 1 to wear 8 (left to right).

4. Upper molars were not used in seriation, and wear assessment was less well defined. The preliminary detailed work was done on Casa da Moura, a Portuguese Neolithic site.

5. Preliminary sketch of right upper molar attrition developed on basis of Casa da Moura, Portuguese Neolithic site.

6. PremolarsSatisfactory schema never fully worked out. Attempt to follow Smith, 1984 never entirely successful, and Molnar 1971 used for Casa da Moura loose teeth.Below is rough idea of the general principle.

7. Canine wear was studied in most detail for the Portuguese Neolithic site of Casa da Moura. While the diagram gives some idea of the variations, it views attrition as simply creating a plane occlusal surface. In fact, canine wear is extremely variable and very often angled. Wear type was recorded separately. The following diagram is assumes direct occlusal wear. Level 6 was recorded as 6 and 6.5, the latter when the cingulum was reached.

9. Rough sketch of incisor wear, from 0 (mammelons unpolished), to 1 with mammelons slightly blunted or polished, to 8 in which the root forms the occlusal surface of the tooth, because the enamel is all removed.