What Will The Modern Human Teeth Reveal To Future Researchers?

Teeth are the most preserved part of the skeletal remains in fossil finds due to mineralization. Teeth carry a record of many different aspects of human life, including growth phases and type of diet.
Key takeaways:
– Pioneer technology such as X-ray synchrotron microtomography will be used to study a fossilized tooth without having to destroy it.
– Teeth can be used to establish how long it took modern individuals within a species to grow from childhood to adulthood.
– Horizontal lines or grooves in teeth will be indicative of stress or periods of disease or starvation experienced by the modern human.
Microscopic wear on the chewing surfaces of teeth can suggest what kind of food an individual ate. Different kinds of food can require different ways of bringing the teeth together.