Morphology of the Maxillary Anterior Teeth in Akha, Lahu Tribes in Northern Thailand

Abstract

In order to clarify the genetic relationship between Koreans and Akha, Lahu native tribes around the mountain area in Northern Thailand, authors examined the metric and non-metric mophological variations of the maxillary anterior teeth. The subjects

were 54 in Akha tribe (25 males, 29 female) and 114 in Lahu tribe (57 males, 57 females), and their ages were 20 to 65 (mean age 34). The prevalence of the shovel-shaped incisor in maxillary anterior teeth was 85% in Lahu tribe. Among the another

non-metric variations, the prevalence of the peg lateralis was 3 cases in Akha female and 8 cases in Lahu tribe (4 males, 4 females). And the supernumernary tooth located between the right and left maxillary central incisors was observed in 2 cases, the

congenital missings of the maxillary lateral incisor were in 2 cases(1 Akha, 1 Lahu tribe), and the congenital missings of the maxillary canine were in 3 cases(1 Akha, 2 Lahu tribe). The maximal mesio-distal diameters of the maxillary anterior

teeth in Akha and Lahu tribes showed no discrepancy with regard to those of koreans and the dental measurements of the male were larger than the female (p<0.05). The dental measurements of the Lahu tribe were more closer to Korean than those of Akha

Tribe were. Especlally, the mean mesio-distal diameter of the maxillary anterior teeth in Lahu female had no difference to Korean adult female (p<0.05). On the basis of the above results, authors thought that the anthropological similarity to Koreans

was higher in Lahu than Akha tribe with respect to the dentition, but the further anthropological studies such as the height, body proportion, and finger print should be needed.