Why do our modern jaws struggle to fit teeth that ancestors managed easily?
In short: Modern dental issues like crooked teeth and impacted wisdom teeth were largely absent in ancient humans. This video explores the prevailing scientific hypothesis behind why our dental alignment has shifted so dramatically in recent history.
The fossil record suggests that ancient humans typically possessed straight teeth and sufficient space for wisdom teeth. In contrast, today's widespread need for orthodontic intervention and wisdom tooth extraction represents a relatively recent evolutionary development.
While pinpointing an exact cause is difficult, researchers have developed a leading theory to explain this change. The video examines this hypothesis, detailing why the dental dilemmas common in contemporary society were not a burden for our ancestors.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Why do we have crooked teeth when our ancestors didn’t? - G. Richard Scott
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