Artificial interproximal grooving of the teeth in American Indians

Abstract

Abstract Artificial grooves about 2 mm in width have been observed on the cervical region of teeth of American Indian populations which come from widespread localities and which extend through considerable time depth. The grooves appear to have been made ante‐mortem and to show a close relationship with interproximal caries and peridontal bone resorption. It is conjectured that the grooves represent efforts of a therapeutic or, at least, palliative nature.