Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-2018

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Comparative and Experimental Medicine

Major Professor

Murray K. Marks

Committee Members

Stephen A. Kania, James M. Lewis

Abstract

Using light and scanning electron microscopy, this research documents similarities and differences in the enamel composition of human, dog, pig, and deer teeth. The main focus is on the Hunter-Schreger band (HSB) phenomena characteristic to mammalian dental enamel. The human teeth are controls to which comparisons are made. Deciduous and permanent maxillary and mandibular incisors, canines, premolars, molars were examined from labio-lingual and mesio-distal thin sections. HSBs in mammals compared to humans proved to show width and length differences while their enamel prism size did not vary across species. It is believed that human tooth enamel compared to other mammals can be a distinctive factor in the recovery process of comingled remains to determine to whom the tooth belongs.

Comments

Portions of this document were previously published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology as well as Journal of Anatomy and other websites.

Download
Files over 3MB may be slow to open. For best results, right-click and select "save as..."

Share

COinS