Abstract or Keywords
Modifications to human tooth number, shape, surface, and color are among those long used to impart information about the individual, their society, and relationship to others. The practice of intentional dental modification is widespread, occurring at some point in time in most major areas of the world. The purpose of this chapter is threefold: 1) to describe the principal ways in which human societies around the world modified their teeth by ablation, filing, embedding inlays, or dyeing; 2) to delineate the goals of the volume, including the organization of contributions into geographic regions, and brief comments on other regions where the practice may be found; 3) to provide basic terminology on tooth type, position, and composition to help readers get the most out of this volume.