Sex-specific effects of environmental temperature during gestation on fluctuating asymmetry in deciduous teeth.
Emily MoesChristopher W KuzawaHeather Joy Hecht EdgarPublished in: American journal of biological anthropology (2024)
Dental instability may be sensitive to temperature in the first trimester in females during the scaffolding of crown shape and size in the earliest stages of tooth formation. Sexual dimorphism in growth investment strategies may explain the differences in results between males and females. Using enduring dental characteristics, these results advance our understanding of the effects of temperature on fetal physiology within a discrete period.