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Date of Graduation

5-2026

Description

Dental tissue dynamics in primates are largely understood: as enamel wears with tooth use, tertiary dentin is laid down in response to cumulative (micro)traumas, compressing the internal pulp chamber and root canals. However, our knowledge of the rate and pattern of change in tissue quantities across the life course of primates remains incomplete, particularly in well-documented free-ranging populations. This study examined age- and sex-related variation in dental tissue surface area (SA) and volume (V) in a skeletal sample of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) from the Cayo Santiago colony (Puerto Rico), a population with known life history data. Forty-six individuals were divided into four age cohorts, with a balanced representation of males and females. High-resolution microcomputed tomography (microCT) images of each individuals’ maxillary and mandibular left molars were processed using Avizo software. Following segmentation and surface generation, SA (mm2) and V (mm3) of enamel, dentin, and pulp were measured and converted to tissue/tissue SA and V ratios to account for individual body size differences. Results confirm the expected pattern of decreasing pulp/dentin, pulp/enamel, and enamel/dentin values with age. There was a significant difference in all tissue ratios across age groups, with the exception of enamel/dentin SA; sex also had a significant, independent impact on variation in enamel/dentin V. These findings correspond with expected life course dental tissue dynamics in rhesus macaques across multiple molar positions. The results provide insight into essential covariates for future microCT studies of mixed-age dental samples and contribute to comparative research on primate tooth wear and aging.

Publication Date

2026

Document Type

Book

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Biology

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Biological Sciences

Advisor/Mentor

Paul, Kathleen

Disciplines

Biology

Keywords

Natural Science

Examining Life Course Trends in Dental Tissues Measurements in Members of the Cayo Santiago Macaque Colony

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Biology Commons

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