Providing a current overview of how physical, chemical and biochemical aspects of the oral environment influence tooth condition, this publication covers caries, calculus, tooth wear and erosion, and the roles of pellicle, saliva and plaque in inducing and/or moderating these conditions. It highlights topics such as new intra-oral and laboratory methods to assess tooth wear, the latest ideas on de- and re-mineralisation processes involving enamel and dentine, new insights into the tooth structure-function relationship and the site specificity of anticaries treatments. Reviews of pellicle function and of the inverse relationship between caries and calculus complete the volume. This book is recommended to all oral care scientists, laboratory and clinical researchers alike, and to lecturers in dental medicine.

Whether we realize it or not, we carry in our mouths the legacy of our evolution. Our teeth are like living fossils that can be studied and compared to those of our ancestors to teach us how we became human. In Evolution’s Bite, noted paleoanthropologist Peter Ungar brings together for the first time cutting-edge advances in understanding human evolution with new approaches to uncovering dietary clues from fossil teeth. The result is a remarkable investigation into the ways that teeth—their shape, chemistry, and wear—reveal how we came to be. Traveling the four corners of the globe and combining scientific breakthroughs with vivid narrative, Evolution’s Bite presents a unique dental perspective on our astonishing human development.

What human teeth can tell us about our evolution, development, and behavior . . . This fascinating, accessible study will “put a smile on your face with its weird facts about primate dentistry and the shrinking grins of modern-day humans” (Washington Post). Our teeth have intriguing stories to tell. These sophisticated time machines record growth, diet, and evolutionary history as clearly as tree rings map a redwood's lifespan. Each day of childhood is etched into tooth crowns and roots—capturing birth, nursing history, environmental clues, and illnesses. The study of ancient, fossilized teeth sheds light on how our ancestors grew up, how we evolved, and how prehistoric cultural transitions continue to affect humans today. In The Tales Teeth Tell, biological anthropologist Tanya Smith offers an engaging and surprising look at what teeth tell us about the evolution of primates—including our own uniqueness. Humans’ impressive set of varied teeth provides a multipurpose toolkit honed by the diet choices of our mammalian ancestors. Fossil teeth, highly resilient because of their substantial mineral content, are all that is left of some long-extinct species. Smith explains how researchers employ painstaking techniques to coax microscopic secrets from these enigmatic remains. Counting tiny daily lines provides a way to estimate age that is more powerful than any other forensic technique. Dental plaque—so carefully removed by dental hygienists today—records our ancestors' behavior and health in the form of fossilized food particles and bacteria, including their DNA. Smith also traces the grisly origins of dentistry, reveals that the urge to pick one’s teeth is not unique to humans, and illuminates the age-old pursuit of “dental art.” The book is generously illustrated with original photographs, many in color.

Erosive tooth wear is a multifactorial condition of growing concern to the clinician and the subject of extensive research. Since the publication of the first edition of the book with the title Dental Erosion, new knowledge for a better understanding of this important subject has been gathered. The new and more detailed insights resulted in this second, extended publication. It presents a broad spectrum of views, from the molecular level to behavioural aspects, as well as trends in society. In particular, the issues concerning chemical and biological factors as well as dental erosion in children are covered more extensively in this second edition. The first chapters include topics such as the definition, diagnosis, interaction, epidemiology and histopathology of tooth wear. Further, the aetiology of dental erosion, including nutritional and patient-related factors, and dental erosion in children are discussed. This book is a valuable and indispensable guide to better oral health and is highly recommended to faculty members, researchers, dental students, practitioners and other dental professionals.

"The Teeth of Mammalian Vertebrates is an important reference for researchers in dentistry, comparative morphology, anthropology, and vertebrate palaeontology, and those with an interest in exploring and understanding diversity. The book provides a comprehensive and informed analysis of mammalian dentitions and highlights the importance of teeth as drivers and mirrors of evolution and diversity." - Journal of Anatomy The Teeth of Mammalian Vertebrates presents a comprehensive survey of mammalian dentitions that is based on material gathered from museums and research workers from around the world. The teeth are major factors in the success of mammals, and knowledge of tooth form and function is essential in mammalian biology. Illustrated with high-quality color photographs of skulls and dentitions, together with X-rays, CT images and histology, this book reveals the tremendous variety of tooth form and structure in mammals. Written by two internationally-recognized experts in dental anatomy, the book provides an up-to-date account of how teeth are adapted to acquiring and processing food. With its companion volume, this book provides a complete survey of the teeth of vertebrates. It is the ideal resource for students and researchers in zoology, biology, anthropology, archaeology and dentistry. - Provides a comprehensive account of mammalian dentitions, together with helpful reading lists - Illustrated by 900 high-quality photographs, X-rays, CT scans and histological images from leading researchers and world class museum collection - Depicts lateral and occlusal views of the skull and dentition, which conveys a much greater level of morphological detail than line drawings - Contains clear-and-concise, up-to-date reviews of the structure and properties of dental tissues, especially the enamel and tooth support system, both of which play vital roles in the functioning of the mammalian dentition

This book explores the central importance of soil ingestion and earth surface processes in driving the evolution of tooth shape in mammals.