title: Ectopic eruption of a lower permanent molar from the mediaeval necropolis of Alcáçova do Castelo, Mértola, Portugal.
abstract: The mediaeval necropolis of Alcáçova do Castelo is located in Mértola, Southern Portugal, and dates from the 14th to the 16th centuries. The archaeological campaigns started in 1978 and continue today, having yielded more than 759 graves. This report discusses an ectopic tooth eruption observed in skeleton 535, an adult female individual. A distal right permanent lower molar presents an ectopic eruption at the posterior margin of the coronoid process. On the opposite side, the first and second permanent molars are present, the left permanent lower third molar is absent and the mandibular ramus cannot be evaluated since it is broken off and lost. Tooth migration (heteropia) is a common pathological condition documented in clinical literature. However ectopic eruption of lower distal molars is a rare event, and there are few known cases. This is the first case described in archaeological populations worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: inesleandro@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leandro
authors.affiliation: Campo Arqueológico de Mértola (CAM), Rua Dr. António José de Almeida no. 1, 7750-353 Mértola, Portugal.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Campo Arqueológico de Mértola (CAM), Rua Dr. António José de Almeida no. 1, 7750-353 Mértola, Portugal.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gómez-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal; Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Umbelino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D008963:Molar / Q000002:abnormalities*; D010161:Paleodontology; D011174:Portugal; D014079:Tooth Eruption, Ectopic / Q000266:history* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Coronoid process; Intraosseous tooth migration; Lower distal molar; Oral pathology