Hard dental tissue has a unique ability to record metabolic changes during its  formation and preserve this information throughout the tooth's lifespan. This makes it possible to precisely reconstruct the developmental chronology from childhood and adolescence. By examining the microstructure of teeth that have naturally fallen out or been extracted for medical reasons, odontochronology and histological analysis can reveal records of metabolic or stress-related events. With proper documentation, these events can be pinpointed down to the exact day.

Our laboratory compiles a database of dental samples, including detailed information about each tooth and its original owner. Building a well-documented collection of teeth from individuals with known medical histories would allow us to compare microstructural records with specific life events. This could significantly aid in identifying developmental milestones and interpreting findings in the analysis of unknown skeletal remains in bioarchaeology and other anthropological fields, such as forensic anthropology.