Dental stigmata and enamel thickness in a probable case of congenital syphilis from XVI century Croatia.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the dental remains of an individual with signs of congenital syphilis by using macroscopic observation, CBCT and micro-CT images, and the analysis of the enamel thickness.


METHODS
Anthropological analysis of human skeletal remains from the 16th century archaeological site Park Grič in Zagreb, Croatia discovered a female, 17-20 years old at the time of death, with dental signs supportive of congenital syphilis: mulberry molars and canine defects, as well as non-specific hypoplastic changes on incisors. The focus of the analysis was on three aspects: gross morphology, hypoplastic defects of the molars, canines and incisors, as well as enamel thickness of the upper first and second molars.


RESULTS
The observed morphology of the first molars corresponds to the typical aspect of mulberry molars, while that of the canines is characterised by hypomineralisation. Hypoplastic grooves were observed on the incisal edges of all incisors. The enamel of the first molars is underdeveloped while in the second molars a thick-enamelled condition is observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Our observations for the dental and skeletal evidence are supportive to a diagnosis of congenital syphilis for this specimen from XVI century Croatia. The use of CT imaging helped documenting the diagnostic features and quantifying the effect of the dental stigmata on first molars.
Department for Anthropology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia; Department for Dental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Osijek, Osijek 31000, Croatia.
Tomislav
T
Lauc
Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna A-1090, Austria.
Cinzia
C
Fornai
Institute for Anthropological Research, Gajeva 32, Zagreb 10000, Croatia.
Zrinka
Z
Premužić
Department for Dental Anthropology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia.
Marin
M
Vodanović
Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna A-1090, Austria.
Gerhard W
GW
Weber
Zagreb City Museum, Zagreb 10000, Croatia.
Boris
B
Mašić
Institute for Anthropological Research, Gajeva 32, Zagreb 10000, Croatia. Electronic address: petra@inantro.hr.
Petra
P
Rajić Šikanjić
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001106:Archaeology; D017523:Croatia; D003481:Cuspid / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology*; D003744:Dental Enamel Hypoplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D049669:History, 16th Century; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D008963:Molar / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D013590:Syphilis, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
Enamel defects; Fournier canine; Hypoplasia; Micro-CT; Mulberry molars