NSF Award
2419615
This doctoral dissertation project examines naturally shed deciduous (milk) teeth to assess how stress affects tooth formation in males and females during early life. Because deciduous teeth’s growth and development is mostly impacted by maternal health, the study focuses on teeth from individuals whose mothers have well documented health information. Results obtained establish: (1) the extent to which teeth formed during this period record documented stressors, and (2) whether there are sex differences in the degree to which the deciduous dentition reflects these stressors. Because teeth record stress during development, they are often used in the study of health and growth in human ancestors as well as past human populations. Thus, results from this study improve current interpretations of stress evidence in past and present populations. This study provides training for graduate and undergraduate students in a STEM field and increases representation in science. <br/><br/>Fluctuating dental asymmetry, which reflects developmental stress, is assessed based on 3D and 2D dental measurements from µCT scans. Additionally, histological sectioning of antimeres are analyzed to evaluate the width and asymmetry of the neonatal line. Results obtained reveal the types and magnitude of stressors documented in dental asymmetry, and test whether fluctuating asymmetry and the neonatal line in deciduous teeth reflect a theorized sex difference in vulnerability to stress during early development. This project builds on existing work on fluctuating dental asymmetry, but it is the first one to use µCT scans in a clinical sample, making it possible to assess the relationships between known medical stress data and dental measurements.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
