It can not only be used to determine the sex [2] and age of the individual [3] whose mandibular or dental remains have been found, but can also shed light on their diet, pathology,[4] and even their geographic origins through isotope analysis.
It is a crucial part of forensic anthropology in terms of identifying the deceased,[6] and can be applied to archaeological remains to learn about an individual from a burial, or track larger changes in diet of a population if more data is available.
[10] The tooth-root translucency method was pioneered in the 1990s and involves taking two measurements of a tooth when viewing it under a light, and then placing the values into a formula to gain an age estimation.
[13] Other morphological differences can be used to support sex estimation, for example by comparing the frequencies of discrete traits such as the deflecting wrinkle of the lower first molars and the distal accessory ridge of the canines.
[16] Protein enamel analysis is another molecular technique in which the different signatures of amelogenin in males and female individuals provides the basis of sex estimation.
[20] When inferring a high-carbohydrate and sugar diet from the prevalence of cavities, it is necessary to consider other factors that may increase the severity of dental diseases such as the immune system of the individual.
If it is already impaired by other infections then cavities and signs of dental diseases will be more prevalent, and thus such features should not automatically be attributed to just more sugar consumption.
[26] In a similar vein, dental remains of a population from Roman Cibalae were analysed and revealed a significantly higher frequency of enamel hypoplasias in females than males.
[31] Some of the most conspicuous macrowear constitutes chips in the teeth which is seen in irregular surfaces, in contrast to crown wear which is the more gradual and incremental.
Causes, therefore, include inclusions within food, such as a bit of grit or bone, or more commonly today actions like biting your nails or chewing a pen.
[31] At the site of Abu Hureyra in Syria, scanning electron microscope photos were taken of teeth from Mesolithic and Neolithic layers and the patterns of microwear were analysed.
[41] Nitrogen isotopes are also commonly studied as they can suggest an agricultural or marine-based diet since the ratio of 15N to 14N increases higher up the food chain.
One of its main benefits is that it is a secondary material and not an inherent part of the skeletal remains, and as a result people may be less hesitant to use it for such analysis, since those techniques destroy and damage the sample.