title: Genetic modeling of primary tooth emergence: a study of Australian twins.
abstract: The aim of this study was to quantify contributions of genetic and environmental factors to variation in timing of emergence of the primary teeth in a sample of monozygotic and dizygotic twins, using univariate model-fitting approaches. The sample comprised 94 pairs of monozygotic twins and 125 pairs of dizygous twins, all of European ancestry, aged from 2-6 years. Tooth emergence timing was based on parental report, with a subset of data validated by clinical assessment. Heritability estimates for tooth emergence timing were generally high, around 90%, however estimates for the lower right lateral incisor and the lower canines were around 50%. These findings confirm a strong genetic influence on observed variation in the timing of emergence of the human primary teeth.
authors.affiliation: Craniofacial Biology Research Group, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, Australia. michelle.bockmann@adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: Michelle R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Bockmann
authors.forename: Toby E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Grant C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Townsend
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D014078:Tooth Eruption / Q000235:genetics*; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000502:physiology*; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic / Q000235:genetics*; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic / Q000235:genetics*