Staircase-pattern neonatal line in human deciduous teeth is associated with tooth type.

Objective: The staircase (Sc) pattern enamel microstructure is an expression of an impaired ameloblast function. It has been reported to appear in the neonatal line (NNL), the accentuated stria evincing live birth in deciduous tooth enamel. Our objective was to investigate the prevalence of Sc NNL in deciduous tooth types and its possible association with perinatal circumstances.

Deciduous neonatal line: Width is associated with duration of delivery.

The delivery-related neonatal line (NNL) appears into the enamel of primary teeth and first permanent molars at birth and is a marker of live birth process. It varies in width and its location, is different in each deciduous tooth type, and is indicative of gestation time. It is unclear which triggers determine NNL at birth.

Early dental intervention in the Redpath Ptolemaic Theban Male.

A computed tomography study of the remains of a Ptolemaic male mummy from Thebes (RM2718; 350-60 BCE), one of three ancient Egyptian human mummies curated at McGill University's Redpath Museum, demonstrates the packing of a large interproximal carious lesion with a protective linen barrier. The dental packing described here is unique among ancient Egyptian mummies studied to date, and represents one of only a few recorded dental interventions in ancient Egypt. Such a finding lends further support for the existence of a group of dental specialists practicing interventional medicine in ancient Egypt.

Scenes from the past: multidetector CT of Egyptian mummies of the Redpath Museum.

As a nondestructive method of historical and anthropologic inquiry, imaging has played an important role in mummy studies over the past several decades. Recent technologic advances have made multidetector computed tomography (CT) an especially useful means for deepening the present understanding of ancient cultures by examining preserved human remains. In April 2011, three ancient Egyptian human mummies from the Redpath Museum of McGill University were examined with 320-section multidetector CT as part of the IMPACT Radiological Mummy Database project headquartered at the University of Western Ontario.