Hominoid Dental Microwear: Complications in the Use of Microwear Analysis to Detect Diet

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Abstract
Analysis of dental microwear on chimpanzee [Pan troglodytes verus] molars reveals much variation that reflects jaw mechanics and occlusal function rather than diet. Observed microwear pattern differences relate to variations in molar position, facet type and overall age of the tooth. Gradients in the amounts of shear and compression generated at different points in the molar series relative to the condyle probably account for pattern variations associations with molar position, while differences in facet inclination may affect the vectors or compression and shear, resulting in facet differences. Age-related pattern differences may be a result of surface and subsurface variations in enamel hardness. Intraspecific and intra-individual differences in microwear may be extreme, and care must be taken to distinguish normal variation due to occlusal mechanics from variations due to dietary difference. The finding that microwear variations are reflective of subtle changes in occlusal forces and vectors along the tooth row might in itself be a clinically useful phenomenon.

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