A brief description about the evolution of the masticatory complex, its causes and future effects: A review

Abstract

The diversity of mammalian teeth remains a major attraction both scientifically and aesthetically. Bizarre-shaped teeth are a good reminder of both evolutionary flexibility and the precision of the developmental control mechanism. With time and adaptation to changing environments, several changes have occurred over a span of million years. These adaptations resulted in both positive and negative changes. The review article was written after an initial thorough search of both online and offline databases regarding articles related to evolution and craniofacial evolution. All available information related to the field of dentistry was compiled together. Ethical clearance was not necessary due to the nature of the study. This article provides a brief review on the changes in the teeth and jaw over the course of evolution and the factors that triggered it. A question arises whether, keeping the past in mind and seeing the present, we can predict the future changes that might occur in the human dentition.

Keywords

• Dentition
• evolution
• homo sapiens
• mandible
• masticatory muscles
• maxilla
• speech
• temporomandibular joint