Dental Functional Morphology: How Teeth Work

by Peter W. Lucas

Overview

This book offers an innovative alternative to the assumption that teeth merely crush, cut, shear or grind food, and demonstrates how teeth adapt to diet. Peter Lucas reveals how tooth form from the earliest mammals to humans can be understood using basic considerations about how different foods fracture. He outlines his theory step-by-step, providing an allometric analysis explaining the factors governing tooth shape and size. An easy-to-use appendix also provides basic mechanics, and methods of measurement. This volume will be essential reading for physical anthropologists and dental and food scientists.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521035408
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	01/29/2007
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	372
Product dimensions:	6.69(w) x 9.61(h) x 0.79(d)

About the Author

PETER W. LUCAS is Professor of Anatomy at the University of Hong Kong.

Table of Contents

Preface; Flickart; 1. How to get excited about teeth; 2. The basic structure of the mammalian mouth; 3. How the mouth operates; 4. Tooth shape; 5. Tooth size; 6. Tooth wear; 7. The evolution of the mammalian dentition; Appendix A. Mechanical properties and their measurement: material properties made easy; Appendix B. Properties of teeth and potential foods; Notes; References; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"...an original and comprehensive overview..." Science

"It is not often that a body of research can be called 'revolutionary', but Peter Lucas' work is just that. He has changed, in a most fundamental way, how we perceive the form-function relationship between teeth and food. ...Dental Functional Morphology codifies a quarter century of research by one of the field's best and brightest...a must read." Peter Ungar, University of Arkansas

"Professor Lucas has written a very personal book on a subject about which he clearly feels quite passionate. It is a very well written text and covers a great deal of ground. The book is not really aimed at the practising dentist, but at anyone who may have an interest in the function of teeth. It gives a well researched, but personal, view of the evolution of teeth relative to function. The author's style is very chatty and his sense of humour pervades the whole text making the book very readable." British Dental Journal

"Dental Functional Morphology presents an original and comprehensive overview of its field, and it provides a rich source of fresh ideas." Science Magazine

"Students from dental form will benefit from these ideas." American Journal of Human Biology, Mark Spencer, Department of Anthropology, Institute of Human Origins, Arizon State University

"A nice fresh book on dental anatomy, occlusion, evolution, pathology and associated subjects. Good illustration." Journal of the American Association of Forensic Dentists

"Lucas has filled the text with fascinating observations, humorous asides and wonderfully detailed footnotes." Nature Publishing Group

From the Publisher