Persistence of Deciduous Tooth and Lack of Lateral Incisor in a Human Skeletal Remain of the Edo Period

Abstract

Few reports has been published on the anomaly of the ancient Japanese. We recently examined human skeletal remains of the middle Edo period. The skeletons were excavated from the Nakanouchi site, Ogawa Town, Tochigi Prefecture. One of the skeletons (young adult female) showed persistence of deciduous tooth. The skeleton showed slight alveolar prognathism. Bilateral upper third molars and the lower right third molar were missing congenitally. In the upper jaw, the right second permanent incisor was absent, and a permanent canine was found in its place. A deciduous canine remained in the place where a permanent canine should have erupted. The upper left second permanent incisor was peg-shaped and protruded lingually. In the present case, the persistence of deciduous canine is attributable to the lack of the permanent lateral incisor. Further studies on the congenital tooth anomalies of the ancient human skeletal remains may help to clarify the chronological changes of the masticatory apparatus.