The rate and pattern ofdental development in early hominids is a focus of controversy in current research in physical anthropology. This controversy is part of the larger question of whether developmental periods in early hominids can be characterized as more "humanlike", more "apelike", or distinct from either. The prolonged developmental periods characteristic of modern humans have been emphasized in many scenarios concerning the origin of various human physical, cultural, and behavioral traits. However, recent research suggests that early than modern humans, comparable to that of modern apes. If so, brains, tool use, and social organization, will be affected. Rates of human dental development are well known, but existing standards of ape dental development are inadequate since the sample size is small, they are not from individuals of known chronological age, and radiographic information on the anterior dentition is lacking. The objective of this study is to document the pattern and timing of deciduous and permanent tooth crown and root formation in a cross-sectional sample of living chimpanzees of known age and sex in order to provide baseline data for comparison with human and fossil hominid samples.
