Twin studies: research in genes, teeth and faces

Abstract

This book is about an ongoing long-term research initiative led by researchers from the School of Dentistry at the University of Adelaide. It provides an overview of the studies carried out over more than thirty years of the teeth and faces of Australian twins and their families. It provides some historical perspectives of such studies and gives an insight into the technological and scientific changes that have occurred, including various twin models that enable exploration of genetic, epigenetic and environmental contributions to variation in teeth and faces. The volume should be of interest to students planning to undertake research involving twins as well as to researchers and academics in the fields of dentistry and craniofacial biology. Its interdisciplinary approach also demonstrates how studies mainly focused on dental features can have broader implications in clarifying general biological mechanisms.