Acta Anthropologica Sinica ›› 1983, Vol. 2 ›› Issue (04): 352-410.

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Malocclusion of neolithic human skeletons from Baoji and Huaxian

Zeng Xianglong, Huang Jinfang, Ling Jiuxiang   

  • Online:1983-12-15 Published:1983-12-15

Abstract: Malocclusion is one of the most popular oral diseases today. The study of occlusal condition of the ancient people helps acquaint us with the evolution of this disease. The Neolithic Age skeleton remains excavated in Baoji and Huaxian are the earliest ones excavated in batches up to present in China. From them 56 jaw specimens,basically intact, including 25 maxillae and 31 mandibles of 37 adults were selected and studied in order to get some knowledge about malocclusion of Neolithic people in China.
On the basis of the material of this paper, some conclusions can be drawn:
1. The malocclusion prevalence of Baoji and Huaxian human in Neolithic Age was 26.3%, This figure is much lower than that of the Chinese today.
2. There were three categories of malocclusion: malposition of individual teeth, crowding and skeletal discrepancy, among which the second was most common. This is similar to that of people today.
3. The asymmetrical face, resulted from the abnormal growth of the mandible, had existed among Neolithic people.

Key words: Neolithic Age; Malocclusion; Facial asymmetry; Cephlometric reontge-nography