Interaction between Relative Molar Size and Relative Number of Cusps

Abstract

Past studies indicated that the molar crown size and the number of cusps were interacting variables. The present work postulates a relationship between the relative crown size of the 1st and 2nd mandibular molars and the relative number of cusps. The data confirm the hypothesis of cusp number reduction from 5-4 rather than an increase from 4-5, although the polymorphism may be quantitatively different in various populations.