Genetics of Dental Caries: Controlled Animal Models

Abstract

Research in animal models, particularly rodents, has been used as a tool for gaining insight into the genetics contribution to dental caries. This chapter dissects some of these data, particularly the early studies motivated by observations in humans, complementing them with more recent ones designed specifically to map genes for dental caries. Finally, it offers a critical view of the rationale and lack of ethical principles of the use of nonhuman species in research.