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Biomedical subjects

G C Townsend

Publications and source records attributed to G C Townsend.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Craniofacial patterning in Klinefelter (47 XXY) adults.

Radiographic cephalometry incorporating a pattern profile analysis was used to compare 26 adult Klinefelter males from Finland with first degree adult relatives, 15 males and 14 females. Compared with female relatives, the 47 XXY males were larger in almost all craniofacial linear dimensions, but were similar in facial shape apart from greater mandibular prognathism. Mandibular dimensions in particular differed between the Klinefelter and unaffected males, the corpus length being larger, the ramus shorter and the gonial angle more obtuse in the 47 XXY group. The prominent facial profile, most marked in the mandible, was a dominant feature of the Klinefelter subjects who also displayed a more acute median cranial base angle than each control group. Generally, Klinefelter morphology was marked by greater variability or patterning of the craniofacial structures compared with relatives, possibly due to decreased developmental canalization. It is proposed that the 47 XXY complex may affect endochondral growth in the cranial base, as well as having a direct influence on jaw growth.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Nature and frequency of dental wear facets in an Australian aboriginal population.

The nature and frequency of dental wear facets were studied in a sample of 18-year-old Aborigines, 28 males and 31 females, living at Yuendumu in the Northern Territory of Australia. Facet frequencies were scored indirectly using dental models for all permanent teeth, except third molars, and evidence of non-masticatory tooth grinding in eccentric jaw positions was also recorded. The interplay between attrition and abrasion in an individual over time was assessed by examining facet appearance on serial dental models obtained at approximately yearly intervals from 7 to 25 years of age. Facetting was found to be a very common feature of the Aboriginal dentitions, with frequencies ranging from around 65% for pre-molars to about 90% for molars. Evidence of extreme mandibular movement was noted in 93% of males and 100% of females. The longitudinal observations indicated that wear facet definition varied over time, apparently due to episodes of tooth grinding superimposed on continually-acting abrasive influences. These results show that facetting on teeth associated with extreme mandibular positions and, by inference, the related behaviour of tooth grinding or bruxism are very common features in dentitions of Australian Aboriginals living an essentially non-industrial way of life.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Brief communication: interproximal tooth wear: a new observation.

Microscopic observations were made of wear on the proximal surfaces of tooth crowns of Australian Aboriginals and whites. Typical wear facets displayed well-defined borders within which vertical or near vertical furrows, ranging from about 0.1 to 0.5 mm in width, were noted. Furrows on the interproximal surface of one tooth seemed to "interdigitate" with those on the proximal surface of the adjacent tooth. These observations are not consistent with the commonly-held view that interproximal tooth wear results from a buccolingual movement of adjacent teeth that maintain contact through mesial migration. Vertical or near vertical movement of teeth, possibly including a tipping action, must be an important factor, although the precise nature of the movement requires further investigation.

Humans↗
PubMed1992

Fitting genetic models to Carabelli trait data in South Australian twins.

This study aimed to clarify genetic and environmental contributions to Carabelli trait variation on permanent first molar teeth in a large sample of South Australian twins. Estimates of polychoric correlations were obtained between pairs of monozygous (MZ) and dizygous (DZ) twins for Carabelli data and various gene-environment models fitted by a weighted least-squares approach. The favored model included additive genetic effects together with both a general environmental component and an environmental effect specific to each side. An estimate of heritability around 90% indicated a very strong genetic contribution to observed variation. The pattern of correlations for MZ and DZ data suggested that further studies involving other types of relatives would be worthwhile for detection of possible non-additive genetic effects of dominance or epistasis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Abrasion: an evolutionary and clinical view.

Abrasion is the type of wear produced on the tooth by the friction of exogenous material forced over the surface by incisive, masticatory and grasping functions. It is one of the four common processes that have affected the morphology of newly erupted teeth from the time they first evolved millions of years ago. While some observers have regarded tooth reduction as pathological, there is evidence from comparative and palaeontological studies which demonstrates that these processes are an essential part of the normal, continually changing relationship between the form and function of the dentition. To understand these precise mechanisms is important if one is to replicate nature's 'intentions' in clinical dental procedures.

Adaptation, Biological↗
PubMed1991

Tooth crown size in 46, X, i (Xq) human females.

Permanent tooth crown sizes of six Finnish females with a 46, X, i(Xq) chromosome constitution (isochromosome for the long arm of the X chromosome) were measured from dental casts and compared with those of normal women, first-degree female relatives and 45, X females. Crown diameters of the 46, X, i(Xq) females were not only smaller than in the normal women but even smaller than the 45, X females. These findings can be considered indirect evidence that X chromosome gene(s) for tooth crown growth are most probably located on the short arm.

Chromosome Aberrations↗
PubMed1990

Concepts of occlusion: Australian evidence.

Longitudinal studies of aboriginal children over a 20-year period have drawn attention to the wide variation in morphological features of the dentition and the way in which occlusal relationships develop. This paper summarizes some important determinants of optimal occlusal development, namely, tooth size relationships within and between dentitions, the patterns of alveolar growth, and tooth migrations during the transition from primary to permanent teeth and the nature of growth changes in the dental arches. Dental occlusion constantly changes throughout life in response to changing functional requirements. Observations limited to cross-sectional material provide an incomplete, and sometimes misleading, concept of dental occlusion and masticatory function.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Occlusal variation in Australian aboriginals.

Variation of dental occlusion around established norms has frequently been related to industrialized or modernized life habits. This tendency has been tested among samples (n = 48) of older (originally nomadic) and younger (settled and rationed) Australian Aboriginals. Although significant differences are found in incisor relation traits, tooth malalignment, and relative arch breadth, these are slight compared to some other studies of peoples undergoing one-generation dietary westernization. Reasons for this might relate to concomitantly subtle differences in diet or masticatory habits, genetic buffering, attrition gradient, tooth size, biased sampling according to tooth retention, or fluoride in water supplies.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Dental arch morphology in south Australian twins.

Fourth-order polynomials were used to represent dental arch morphology in 29 monozygous and 19 dizygous like-sexed twin pairs, and in 45 unrelated individuals. The polynomial coefficients provided an accurate description of dental arch morphology with the quadratic (chi 2) and quartic (chi 4) terms reflecting arch shape and the linear (chi) and cubic (chi 3) terms summarizing asymmetry. There were no significant differences between the groups in either the quadratic or quartic terms. Values of correlations between polynomial terms indicated that there was no consistent relationship between maxillary and mandibular arch shape or asymmetry. Intraclass correlations between twins suggested that genetic factors contributed to variation in maxillary arch shape and to a lesser extent to variation in mandibular arch shape but not to arch asymmetry.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Variability of palatal dimensions in South Australian twins.

Estimates of genetic contributions to variability in three palatal dimensions were obtained from a sample of 70 pairs of South Australian twins aged between 11 and 26 years. Palatal width and length were measured directly from dental models, while palatal height was assessed indirectly from moiré contourographs. For each of the three palatal variables there was evidence of significant genetic variance, with heritability estimates for palatal width and height generally exceeding those for palatal length. Furthermore, palatal height measurements displayed greatest relative variability and strongest correlation between monozygous twins (r = 0.95), suggesting that this dimension could be useful as an additional comparative feature in forensic odontological investigations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Genetic and environmental determinants of dental occlusal variation in twins of different nationalities.

We have compared 10 occlusal traits in 358 monozygous and dizygous twin pairs in 4 different samples and estimated genetic variances for these features. Variable and frequently nonsignificant genetic variance was noted across samples for incisal overbite and overjet, sagittal molar relationship, posterior crossbite, and rotations and displacements of anterior teeth. Heritability estimates (when appropriately calculated) were low in magnitude (0-40%) and erratic, emphasizing the importance of environmental influences on occlusal variation and the variability of apparent genetic determinants with respect to the environment or population in which they are measured.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

The prevalence of taurodontism in Down's syndrome.

Taurodontism, a condition in which the pulp chambers of teeth are elongated, was observed in extracted lower molars of 12 out of 33 (36.4%) individuals with Down's syndrome (DS). It is suggested that this high prevalence is associated with a delayed ingrowth and fusion of the epithelial flaps of the developing root sheath and that taurodontism represents one of several characteristic morphological dental features in DS that result from decreased mitotic activity of cells in developing tooth germs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Three-dimensional measurement of the maxillary first molar in Australian whites].

The occlusal surfaces of upper first molars of Australian Whites were measured in three dimensions with the aid of moiré contourography. The dental casts had been collected from Australian White twins who were considered to be of European stock and the casts housed in the Department of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia. In the present study, our first aim was to describe the three-dimensional features of occlusal surfaces of molars in Australian whites. One cast was selected from each monozygotic twin pair at random. A total of 24 males and 15 females were photographed. The results obtained in the present study were compared with those of other human populations previously reported. Cusp height of Australian Whites showed intermediate mean values among 8 populations, but mean intercuspal distances were smaller. This feature, such as small size of occlusal surface but relatively high cusps, also found in Dutch and Asiatic Indian. Mean cusp heights in this population of showed similar values between sexes. Mean differences were insignificant as in Asiatic Indian, Australian Aboriginals, and Bantu unlike the Mongoloid, Japanese and Eskimo populations, where there were significant sex differences in cusp heights. This sexual dimorphism in cusp height among human populations is discussed phylogenetically and functionally.

Australia↗
PubMed1988

Effect of iodine deficiency on craniofacial growth in young common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).

The effects of iodine deficiency on general and craniofacial growth were determined in young common marmosets. Examinations, including direct measurement, cephalometric radiology, and dental examination, were performed at three-month intervals from birth to 1 year on a cross-sectional sample of three groups of marmosets. The groups were those on a normal diet, n = 50; an iodine-deficient diet during gestation and for 1 year postnatally, n = 26; and an iodine-deficient diet only during gestation (returned to a normal diet at 1 month after birth), n = 18. The iodine-deficient animals were smaller in all dimensions, compared with controls, but they did not have typical cretin facies. Animals that were iodine deficient during gestation but subsequently fed a normal diet were small initially but displayed compensatory growth, so that by 1 year they were nearly normal in size.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1987

A cephalometric study of young marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).

Linear and angular measurements of young marmosets taken at three-month intervals from a series of cephalograms are presented. They show that linear craniofacial development was largely complete by six months of age, subsequent angular changes being mainly related to dental development. No sexual dimorphism was apparent, and there was substantial homogeneity in results for animals of the same age. Thus, marmosets, with their low cost, ease of handling, and rapid maturation, may provide a useful animal model for craniofacial research.

Age Factors↗