title: [Study of dental attrition in a medieval adult population from Southwest France].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the authors was to study dental attrition in a medieval sample of paired mandibles and maxillas from the Southwest France (IX to XV century).
  
  
  METHODS
  We selected 58 adult individuals with maxillas and mandibles in good state of conservation, 29 women and 29 men from the medieval collection of Vilarnau-d'Amont (Western Pyrenees, France). Attrition was graded according to the Brabant index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a high prevalence of attrition in this sample. The first molars (M1) were the maxillary and mandibular teeth most concerned by attrition. The most frequent attrition level was level 2, with dentin exposure. We did not find any significant difference of tooth wear between maxillary and mandibular teeth, even if maxillary teeth seemed to be more worn. There was symmetry of attrition between the left and right side. There was no significant difference between men and women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Working on paired mandibles and maxillas showed that attrition in the middle age was a global phenomenon, intermaxillary and symmetric. It was much more severe than today, rapidly evolving and generalized because of the abrasive quality of food, cooking, chewing habits, and intensity of chewing pressure.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, Université Paul-Sabatier, 03, Chemin des Maraîchers, Toulouse Cedex 9, France. esclassa@cict.fr
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esclassan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boimond
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sevin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Donat
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Grimoud
mesh_terms: D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010161:Paleodontology; D010164:Paleopathology; D019217:Tooth Attrition / Q000266:history*