A new method allows dental tissue to be used to reveal bone secrets

A study proposes a new method to calibrate micro-computed tomography (MicroCT) scans that uses the dental tissue and will allow the analysis of bone pathology and the variation of mineral density in archaeological, osteological and laboratory research.

The research, led by Ian Towleof the National Research Center on Human Evolution (Cenieh)in Spain, has been published in open access in the journal American Journal of Biological Anthropology and offers an innovative approach through which teeth can be used to reveal bone secrets, the research center indicated in a press release.

This approach, known as “ghostless calibration”, will allow the analysis of bone pathology and the variation of mineral density in archaeological, osteological and laboratory investigations.

Research shows that the mineral density values ​​of dental tissue (enamel and dentin) of teeth of the cheek (molars) can serve as a coherent internal calibration reference.

The results reveal minimal variation between different molar types and scan settings, suggesting this is a reliable method for calibrating scans (MicroCT) in bone studies.

This means that reliable data on bone mineral density can be obtained directly from the scans, which is crucial in studies looking at the progression of bone diseases or simply normal variation related to differences in activities or behaviors.

“Furthermore, this method is effective in other primate species and can be applied to other mammalian species, highlighting its potential usefulness in evolutionary, pathological and conservation studies.“, he pointed Ian Towleresearcher who is part of the European project Tied2Teeth who leads Leslea Hlusko.

A significant advantage of this technique is its retrospective applicability to examinations of MicroCT existing, which makes possible the calibration of a vast archive of data previously collected in osteological and archaeological collections.

By applying the new ghost-free calibration method to existing scans, researchers can generate a large amount of new data without needing to rescan specimens.

In particular, it will be a useful tool in archaeological contexts, where bone disease can be assessed directly from these existing scans.

“Our research provides a new calibration method for MicroCT scans, and will allow the study of a vast archive of previously collected scans for variation in bone mineral concentration.”he explained Towle.

For its part, Leslea J. Hluskoco-author of this research, pointed out that “the teeth, with their high mineral content and minimal changes throughout life, are an exceptional resource in various research settings. “This study highlights a further application of dentition in osteological and archaeological research.”

This research is part of the project ‘Tied2Teeth‘ of the European Research Council in the Ceniehin which the evolution of teeth is explored from a pleiotropic perspective, that is, when a gene simultaneously influences multiple anatomical structures.