AGENESIS OF PERMANENT INCISORS IN A MEDIEVAL MAXILLA AND MANDIBLE - ETIOLOGIC ASPECTS

A paleopathological maxilla and mandible with tooth agenesis were anal yzed, focussing on the aetiology of the condition. The jaw material, d erived from an adult mediaeval male, was examined by standard anthropo logical analyses, including radiography. In the maxilla there was agen esis of three permanent incisors and one premolar, and in the mandible of one permanent incisor and two permanent molars. Absence or marked reduction of the incisive foremen and the nasopalatine canal was found . The premaxillary area was reduced without general alveolar bone reso rption. The pattern of tooth agenesis was similar to the pattern obser ved in contemporary individuals, except for the agenesis of one perman ent maxillary central incisor. It is suggested that the pronounced lac k of teeth in the maxillary anterior region is connected with deficien t development of the premaxillary area of the nasopalatine canals and the incisive foramen. As the condition can be ascribed to deviations i n the prenatal development, this investigation shows that embryologica l developmental patterns, which form the basis for the pattern of toot h agenesis, should be taken into account when evaluating dry bone path ology.