What causes crooked teeth? How to prevent it? Is it caused by genetic or environment? Studying past human skulls gives us great insight about crooked teeth, is it a natural phenomenon? when did it occur and why? Orthodontists prescribe to the idea that the cause is a mix of genetics and environment like most other diseases however we are treating it as entirely genetic problem while overwhelming evidence points to the environment.
Malocclusion is misalignment of jaws and/or teeth. It has become an endemic problem affecting 80{ae022d2295c0485893c83c8425b5bfafafba893c2d19b1bb9bc4c7c9bf3eeba6} of civilized population.
In the modern world getting braces have become right of passage to growing up. But should this be accepted as normal?
An important distinction between cause and effect: orthodontists are treating the symptoms(the effect), it is openly admitted in the profession that they don’t know what actually causes malocclusion.
Isn’t it interesting…
- Humans are 1 species out of 5,400 other species of mammals and we’re the only ones that get crooked teeth
- we have been anatomical humans for 160,000 years out of which malocclusion has only begun to show in the mass population 200 years ago
- Our ancestors had 32 perfectly aligned teeth with 10 mm of space behind their wisdom teeth. There was no need for orthodontics!
- only 5{ae022d2295c0485893c83c8425b5bfafafba893c2d19b1bb9bc4c7c9bf3eeba6} of ancestors had malocclusion (from obvious causes like trauma or illness), in modern population only 5{ae022d2295c0485893c83c8425b5bfafafba893c2d19b1bb9bc4c7c9bf3eeba6} have correct occlusion
Evolution Theory & Genetic Theory
–Evolution theory: “Humans are evolving to have different jaws than ancestors, hence impacted wisdom teeth becoming normal”
–Genetic theory: there is too much outbreeding (too much contrast in gene pool) or the opposite too much inbreeding.
Believing that DNA is at the cause makes logical sense to us, since we see the similarities in our faces to our parents.
- but if the common theory of teeth crowding: “you inherited teeth too big from dad and jaws too small from mom” was true, how come we don’t see the opposite where the child inherits jaws too big and teeth too small and have gaps everywhere?
- a miniature Poodle can be mixed with a Great Dane (x100 larger) with clearly contrasting teeth and jaw size, but the off spring will have perfectly matching teeth and jaws
- At the turn of 19th century when the world went through massive changes with Industrial Revolution, malocclusion went on a sudden rise. This shift reflect change in environment not the gene pool.
- Inuit population were recognized as Canadian citizen and given social housing and food stamps. They moved into modern civilization, within 1-2 generation they had the same levels of malocclusion as rest of us (similar observations are made through out the world)
The gene theory can not explain the rapid rate at which malocclusion shows up, especially when pure bred populations get affected so quickly.
Nutrition Theory
One theory of malocclusion is that we are missing certain vitamins in the modern diet that is impeding proper development. This seems plausible but hard evidence is lacking.
And few points that is difficult to explain:
- Animals don’t require special vitamins to get their straight teeth
- Anthropologist, Corruccini, found that malocclusion occurred 9x more in privileged Indian kids than their relative who were poor. Similarly, many population in third world countries with appalling, nutritionally deficient diet have better occlusion than civilized population.
- Humans had great occlusion for thousands of years as hunter & gatherers, it is not plausible to believe they all had access to these specific vitamins at all the different places & different times.
Masticatory Effort Theory
Because skulls and teeth are left behind, studying past skulls and comparing to present skulls have left us clues about the story of malocclusion and its connection to human’s masticatory efforts, which become difficult to be dismissed.
Below skulls were found in Japan.
- (left) 18,000 year old hunter gather skull – wide & square structure, heavy wear on teeth
- (middle) roughly 300 B.C. – skull beginning to lengthen, more oval shape, teeth not meeting as well, less wear on teeth. Beginning of heavy rice agriculture
- (right) Edo period1600-1800 – skull further lengthened, much less wear on teeth, much more civilized society, more sophisticated diet, foreign trade established
The face is lengthening at the same time wear of teeth is reducing, the main cause must be the shift in diet from hard to soft.
Muscular Dystrophy shows that weak muscles can lead to lengthening
With ultrasound they found that people with closer to 90 degree jaws had much thicker jaw muscles while individuals with more obtuse jaw angle had thinner jaw muscle. (it makes sense when you see that the jaw muscle attaches right at this angle)
.
masseter muscle runs top to bottom of the skull, could it’s strength manipulate the shape of the whole skull?
Bone is quite malleable to long term forces. Evidence suggests that bone is at the effect of the soft tissues.
Research showed that individuals with stronger biting force had wider Interpupillary distance. (or wide set eyes / wider face) As if the strong masseter muscle has crushed the whole skull making it shorter and wider.
Ancient Aboriginal with shorter, wider skull with much more forward jaws with pronounced cheekbone where the jaw muscle attaches. In animals, species with larger cheekbones have stronger biting power as there is increased surface area for more muscles to attach.
Muscle tone also affects resting posture. Strong jaw muscle keeps jaw shut, while weaker muscle tone lets the jaw hang open more often.
Monkey Experiments: a piece of plastic was placed on the roof of monkey’s mouth that made it uncomfortable for them to keep their mouth closed so they adopted open mouth posture, within a relatively short period the face lengthened and malocclusion developed. Another experiment in which the nose was plugged causing oral breathing lead to the same result.
Above shows that open mouth posture alone can cause lengthening and malocclusion.
Boy was allergic to pet gerbil he received as present, blocking his nose causing him to oral breath.
Leaving the mouth open for any extended period of time results in Cranial Dystrophy.
Jaw shut, and tongue on the roof is the support for the face.
Malocclusion is symptom of Cranial Dystrophy
Orthodontist, John Mew found that faces that are short is wide with plenty of space for great occlusion while faces that are longer is more narrow and prone to malocclusion. He saw that malocclusion was simply a symptom of a face that is lengthening. Other symptoms: unattractive appearance, throat & nose problem, breathing difficulties (snoring & sleep apnea), TMD, bad body posture.
From Hunter Gatherer to start of agriculture to modern human, there is one clear shift occurring: Cranial Dystrophy
Proper facial development which is horizontal (left) is becoming so rare in the modern world where everyone is heading south (right), that we no longer have proper reference anymore for what is the ideal? We see some that resemble our idea of ideals on magazines and movie screens but even within those “modern ideals”, true ideals are few and far between.
if malocclusion is a symptom of vertical growth, then facial beauty is consequence of horizontal growth.
Cranial Dystrophy Following Industrial Revolution
Drastic changes in lifestyle occurred after Industrial Revolution. People moved from farms to cities and got wage jobs and transitioned from home grown food to processed diet.
Humans have proclivity towards maximizing gains while minimizing effort. This naturally leads to refinement of diet towards more pleasurable food which is softer and higher calorie. Overtime dramatic reduction of masticatory effort per calorie.
Machines are able to process much of the fiber out from most food, ie: whole wheat to white flour. As well as introduction of freak foods like sugar that spike effortless calorie. It is highly concentrated, man made substance that was once expensive, reserved for the rich but became available to the masses with drastic reduction in price sometime in the 1950’s with advanced mass production machines.
Malocclusion was still uncommon 200-300 years ago, when people lived more natural lifestyle on farms. Out door activity leading to healthy appetite and wholesome foods containing fiber which meant healthy amount of chewing each day, and also less allergies compared to modern times.
How much more chewing will be required by a child to meet the same calorie intake of a chocolate bar by eating apples instead?
Every time sugar is put into a tea for example, there is that much less masticatory effort per calorie done for the day.
This explains why malocclusion occurred first in the wealthy class, going back all the way to the Romans. They had money to procure these pleasurable foods, soft and calorie dense. And why less privileged children have better occlusion as they are eating poor diet that are tougher, more fiber, more grit, and way less calories, which means they must chew several times more just to get enough calorie on board to survive.
Ancestors wore their teeth down to the root by the late age, today we don’t wear away even the cusps of teeth. There has been a drastic reduction in jaw usage.
on principle of use it or lose it, we are losing it. At the same time, drastic weakening of jaw muscle is leading to change in oral posture from closed to habitually open with disastrous consequences. There is quite dramatic changes taking place in skull structure which is accelerating within the last 50 years or so. As the face lengthens, the facial dimension gets reduced and teeth run out of space. As well as the fact that teeth sit in the balance between tongue and lips, when the mouth is habitually left open and tongue lowered, this balance is lost and the teeth will begin to shift.
Join Membership to gain access to advanced articles.
-CP
This was shared by Plato’s Starecta Group. Along with facial pulling, NCR, palate expansion, he has been using the Starecta rectifier with some profound results.
Intercuspal Position
This lecture discusses in detail the Intercuspal Position.
http://www.student.ahc.umn.edu/dental/2012/Occlusion_Lecture.pdf
what I have found most powerful is muscle tone and tongue posture. I am not convinced on Starecta as of yet, although I will remain open minded…
I’m working on doing all I can to help myself. Starecta is on my list to do. I did a post on it, because I’m showing Plato’s before and after with the rectifier. http://messiahmews.blogspot.com/2014/12/why-does-messi-always-vomit-before-big.html
I’m linking to your blog here as well, from there in the links section.
My tongue posture is much better, because I am conscious of it now. I fall asleep with it in the proper place. My lip seal is fairly good when awake, but if I sleep on my back it sometimes will come open. If I sleep on my side, then it stays closed. I do plan on ordering the thing from your store to help with it. Just waiting on my monies to get better.
My swallowing still needs a lot of work. Sometimes I can do it right and sometimes not.
I’m doing NCR and ABC (Advanced Biostructural Correction) and a little bit of facial pulling at the present moment, along with facial exercise. I have the Carole Maggio’s Facercise for facial exercise. I would like to order the Flex Effect, plus I have an old DermalTone EMS device (no longer available for sale).
Thanks to your blog, I am working on some of the things you mention as well. My face is sore from it, so it’s doing something.
Is there a way to make my cheekbones larger? My face is really flat and 2D. Compared to normal people(not models just everyday passersby) my cheekbones are basically non existent and flat. Thank u
First off I respect the insight you bring to this issue. I agree muscles are at the core of the issues but you have not refuted the nutrition theory.
You claim
Animals don’t require special vitamins to get their straight teeth
Oh yes they do. Look at any veterinary studies on animals regarding fat soluble vitamins, especially retinol and you will see the impact on teeth, bone, and muscle. Start with cleft palate. Retinol is critical to bone structure. Fat soluble vitamins work synergistically with each other.
You claim.
Anthropologist, Corruccini, found that malocclusion occurred 9x more in privileged Indian kids than their relative who were poor. Similarly, many population in third world countries with appalling, nutritionally deficient diet have better occlusion than civilized population.
Of course he did, poor people eat traditionally. Diets rich in fat soluble vitamins. The poor eat organs, blood, whole fish, whole insects, etc. Rich people are too good for this food and avoid these foods. Hell, some are so dumb they don’t even eat butter. These critical vitamins are provided from breast milk, and are so important they will be stripped from the mother if her body doesn’t have enough stored and available for the child. Dental problems for mothers after having and nursing children are common when diet is historically poor, often through a few generations.
Also poor people eat clays rich in calcium and other minerals. They are absorbed well and improve blood and bone markers. (NASA Report 9-3905) People report thicker tooth enamel with its consumption.
You claim
Humans had great occlusion for thousands of years as hunter & gatherers, it is not plausible to believe they all had access to these specific vitamins at all the different places & different times.
Embarrassing statement. These nutrients are available everywhere in the world. Feel free to google it.
My experience
Consuming seafood ( fclo)and organ meats (especially liver) has improved my poor health immensely. And consuming it in amounts far greater than recommended by the medical establishment. I’ve gained muscle, improved my teeth and widened my dental arch.
I don’t have all the answers, but I do know that there is significant evidence that contradicts your theory.
And if nutrition can sustain strong muscles without the need of constant exercise to stimulate them, isn’t that better.
I have met farmers who grew up on diets rich in high fat raw milk, butter, and wouldn’t waste good organ meat that have immaculate faces, jaws, and teeth. In fact I’ve never met someone whose parents and themselves have lived on a diet rich in fat soluble vitamins that has any malocclusion. They are very rare these days.
I can only approve comment once I log into the site.
I appreciate the comment but the problem with nutrition theory is that it is mostly anecdotal. While your personal story is interesting, & I am open to the fact that nutrition can improve enamel / mineralization of bone but large evidence points to muscle tone & oral posture as the causative factors of malocclusion. If you have links to hard evidence for nutrition theory I would like to see them.
To claim the poor ate the diet you mentioned is anecdotal, did you actually go and visit them and see their diet yourself? I have talked to few that have seen the diet of some of these individuals from third world countries and they are eating very nutritionally poor diet like white rice, grains, & not the fat soluable rich diet you speak of. I am not talking about the tribal people, that may eat more traditionally as you mentioned.
I have several American friends that grew up on standard american diet that never needed orthodontics. And they were definitely not going out of their way to eat organ meats. While I have other friends that did need orthodontics, and either of the group is eating anything special or different. What can explain this difference?
& what exactly is this nutrient? Weston Price theory suggest it is fat soluable nutrient so it is found in fatty meats like organ meat but how do you explain all the vegetarian animals that may get way less fat soluable than a carnivorous animal but both develop perfectly fine occlusions?
Your statement
I appreciate the comment but the problem with nutrition theory is that it is mostly anecdotal. While your personal story is interesting, & I am open to the fact that nutrition can improve enamel / mineralization of bone but large evidence points to muscle tone & oral posture as the causative factors of malocclusion. If you have links to hard evidence for nutrition theory I would like to see them.
Mine
As someone going into professional research I understand that there are limits to every bit of evidence, especially with something as complex as the human body, it’s structure and physiology. Your comment about primarily anecdotal evidence is contradictory as you base nearly everything you share on anecdotal evidence. Your one premise with solid evidence is that muscle shapes bone, one with which I agree. Hard evidence? Well if you want a study that eliminated all confounding variables but fat soluble vitamins and the impact on human dental arch over a long enough time to show statistically significant results. There isn’t one, but there are peer reviewed articles that show fat soluble vitamins impact on bone strength, formation, and density. Oh and muscle too.
Do you want them?
Hess AF, McCann GF, Pappenheimer AM. The failure of rats to develop rickets on a diet deficient in vitamin A. J Biochem 1921;47:395-412.
Wolbach SB. Vitamin A deficiency and excess in relation to skeletal growth. J Bone Joint Surg 1947;29:17192.
Wolbach SB, Hegsted DM. Vitamin A deficiency in chick: skeletal growth and the central nervous system. AMA Arch Pathol 1952;54:13-29.
Wolbach SB, Hegsted DM. Vitamin A deficiency in the duck: skeletal growth and the central nervous system. AMA Arch Pathol 1952;54:548-63,
Wolbach SB, Howe PR. Tissue changes following deprivation of fat-soluble A vitamin. J Exp Med 1925;42:75377.
Baume LJ. Differential responses of condylar, epiphyseal, synchondrotic, and articular cartilages of the rat to varying levels of vitamin A. Am J Orthod 1970;58:537-51.
Gallina AM, Helmboldt CF. Frier Hl, Nielsen SW, Eaton HD. Bone growth in the hypovitaminotic A calf. J Nutr 1970;100:129-42.
Hayes JC, Cousins RJ. Vitamin A deficiency and bone growth: 1. Altered drift patterns. Calcif Tissue Res 1970;6: 120-32.
Orr JB, Richards MB. Growth and vitamin A deficiency. J Biochem 1934;28:1259-73.
Stewart RJC. Bone pathology in experimental malnutrition. World Rev Nutr Diet 1975;21:1-74.
Extreme deficiency in prenatal issues cause issues like this
……….never mind, can’t post pictures
Feel free to look up cleft palate and retinol to see examples and learn more.
Google scholar is your friend.
You want more simplified science, these are compiled articles are compiled by Chris Masterjohn Ph.D. Biochemistry, specializes in vitamins.
http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/vitamin-a-on-trial-does-vitamin-a-cause-osteoporosis/
http://www.westonaprice.org/blogs/cmasterjohn/undercarboxylated-osteocalcin-marker-of-vitamin-k-deficiency-or-booster-of-insulin-signaling-and-testosterone/
What about muscle, the maintenience and growth of it. Or loss of it….
McCollum EV, Davis M. The necessity of certain lipins in the diet during growth. J Biochem 1913;15:167-75.
Corey JE, Hayes KC. Cerebrospinal fluid pressure, growth, and hematology in relation to retinol status of the rat in acute vitamin A deficiency. J Nutr 1972; 102: 1585-94.
Anzano MA, Lamb AJ, Olson JA. Growth, appetite, sequence of pathological signs and survival following the induction of rapid, synchronous vitamin A deficiency in the rat. J Nutr 1919;109:1419-31.
Zile MH, Bunge EC, DeLuca HF. On the physiological basis of vitamin A-stimulated growth. J Nutr 1979;109:1787-96
Sherman BS. The effect of vitamin A on epithelial mitosis in vitro and in vivo. J Invest Dermatol 1961 ;37:469-80.
Kohlmeier RH, Burroughs W. Estimation of critical plasma and liver vitamin A levels in feed lot cattle with observations upon influences of body stores and daily dietary requirements. J Animal Sci 1970;30:1012-19.
Mayer J, Krehl WA. influence of vitamin A deficiency on the gross efficiency of growth of rats. Yale J Biol Med 1948;20:403-05.
Gil A, Briggs GM, Typpo J, Mackinney G. Vitamin A requirement of the guinea pig. J Nutr 1968;96:359-62.
Baumann CA, Riising BM. Steenbock H. Fat soluble vitamins: XLII. The absorption and storage of vitamin A in the rat. J Biol Chem 1934;107:705-15.
Booth VH. Liver storage of vitamin A by male and female rats. J Nutr 1952;23:459-71.
Lewis JM, Bodansky O, Falk KG, McGuire G. Vitamin A requirements in the rat, the relation of vitamin A intake to growth and to concentration of vitamin A in the blood plasma, liver and retina. J Nutr 1942;23:351-63.
Paul HE, Paul MF. The relation of vitamin A intake to length of life, growth, tooth structure and eye condition. J Nutr 1946;31:67-78.
May BJ, Calhoun MC, Engdahl GR. A re-evaluation of the minimum vitamin A requirement of growing-finishing iambs. J Anim Sci 1987;65:1626-
There is plenty more….if you get through all that
Your comment
To claim the poor ate the diet you mentioned is anecdotal, did you actually go and visit them and see their diet yourself? I have talked to few that have seen the diet of some of these individuals from third world countries and they are eating very nutritionally poor diet like white rice, grains, & not the fat soluable rich diet you speak of. I am not talking about the tribal people, that may eat more traditionally as you mentioned.
Mine
Ridiculous statement…No I didn’t see their diets. Did you watch the Eskimos breastfeed their children for 5 plus years, or the Mongolians, then average all the results. By the way breast milk is dense in fat soluble vitamins, though varies woman to woman.
You’ve talked with a few people…well that is A+ research.
Your not talking about tribal cultures…well, have you studied them at all? Yes it’s anecdotal, but far from worthless. See what you find.
Your statement
I have several American friends that grew up on standard american diet that never needed orthodontics. And they were definitely not going out of their way to eat organ meats. While I have other friends that did need orthodontics, and either of the group is eating anything special or different. What can explain this difference?
Mine
Wow…first off fat soluble vitamins, retinol in particular, can be stored for decades. Theses issues often take generations to manifest themselves. Read veterinary journals to learn more. Also we do not have nearly any science studying the factors that deplete theses vitamins faster than normal, we don’t even really know what is average or normal. Stress is likely one but to little info to know at this point. Second sources are more varied than organ meats. You can look it up on your own.
Breastfeeding is critical, yes it strengthens the oral facial muscles but it also supplies these crucial fat soluble vitamins.
You and I both know that some people do not maintain muscle very well and that children can have beautiful wide dental arches and then have major malocclusion as they age into adulthood. Read the studies above and you will find significant slowing of bone growth and muscle loss when these vitamins are low. Vit A, D, K2 in particular. They also deplete the most in adolesent stages of growth.
Your statement
& what exactly is this nutrient? Weston Price theory suggest it is fat soluable nutrient so it is found in fatty meats like organ meat but how do you explain all the vegetarian animals that may get way less fat soluable than a carnivorous animal but both develop perfectly fine occlusions?
Mine
Wow…I hope you are playing dumb.
First off, ruminant animals do not eat plants. The chew them, swallow them, allow them to be broken down by microbial action, they regurgitate them and allow more microbial growth, they digest the microbes ( fat soluble vitamins) and then the composted matter is defecated. Feel free to read up on it, even visit a farm. New experiences are fun…
What nutrient? Well there may be a vitamin out there we need but haven’t discovered yet. Nutrition is a pretty well researched field but that is possible. We know that foods with the fat soluble vitamins we know of have a significant on bone and muscle. I guess you can write of science because we aren’t ‘t absolute.
It has become very evident to me that you need to read up on this subject. I would highly recommend not making strong claims on the subject until you have done so.
Also for one who needs “hard evidence” you certainly do not cite much on the way of scientific literature on this site. Of course I’m not exactly sure what you mean by “hard evidence.”
Oh and you are very welcome.
I apologize for being a an ass in my last response. I let myself become a little frustrated after reading you response, that is on me. I have honestly enjoyed reading this blog and seeing what you post.
My initial response was motivated by a passion to help people in their quest for health, I started to get carried away with backing up my point of view. Again I’m sorry and wish I could go back and edit it. I hope that the main portion of my post can help others on their way to a healthier happier life. Sorry about the jabs.
If you want you can delete it and I’ll repost a more cordial version.
it is fine, this is a simple blog not scientific journal so I do not go hard core in citing everything I write, many times I am simply voicing my opinion and I understand not everyone will agree.
The research I have seen for nutrition in the past has not been convincing compared to the evidence available for oral posture & function as the cause of malocclusion.
The fact is all malocclusion seen today is caused by the vertical growth of the maxilla. When jaw drops 10 mm from ideal malocclusion begins. This has been studied well, and other great studies were done to show that primary factor to cause vertical growth seems to be posture.
When the orthodontist is aware of the posture effect, they have found that all children that come in for treatment have some problem with oral posture or function. And lastly any type of malocclusion either Class I,II,III is reflected in the child’s unique posture (how they hold their jaw & tongue). Therefore to me, these clear observations give the best & most complete explanation about malocclusion, how it occurs, and why it happened as it is all explained by observing the child’s lips, cheeks, chin, tongue, & resting mouth posture.
It was certainly the case for me as I discovered that I had poor oral posture, and pointed out by more bright orthodontists I started working with including Mike Mew and my local orthodontist in MI, Dr. Gibbs who’s been doing this since the 80’s. Not to mention John Mew who’s been in practice much earlier than that, whom has consistently observed the posture effect for decades & built a great wealth of data behind it but conventional orthodontic profession has turned a blind eye to.
Of course the reverse occurring is also equally convincing where a child corrects their oral posture and sees spontaneous improvement in facial form: improvement in profile, palate expanding, and teeth aligning.
I agree, I just think the posture issues are due to deeper issues, related primarily to nutrition and it’s impact on muscle and bone. I don’t think it is as simple as a choice or subconscious habits.
But, I certainly could be wrong…
I wish you success in your endeavor
After reading this blog post, which was well-written for the most part, I still find there is stronger evidence and support for the nutritional theory over the masticatory effort theory. This is not to say they are mutually exclusive, but the totality of evidence, biology, reason, and logic are stronger with the former.
In fact, there is a glaring issue with the masticatory effort theory. Populations that ate primarily soft foods (which were nutrient dense!) did not have malocclusion issues. Straight teeth, no crowding, wide jaws, virtual cavity free, resilient health.
And to add to the pool of personal anecdotes (for the sake of sharing my own story), the health of my teeth improved immensely when I began to add fermented cod liver oil, high vitamin butter oil, and coconut oil into my diet.
“What exactly is this nutrient? Weston Price theory suggest it is fat soluable nutrient so it is found in fatty meats like organ meat but how do you explain all the vegetarian animals that may get way less fat soluable than a carnivorous animal but both develop perfectly fine occlusions?”
I, too, hope you’re just joking? It has already been determined that this nutrient, which Weston A. Price dubbed “Activator X” is in fact Vitamin K2. Mammals that consume Vitamin K1 have a higher conversion rate of K1 to K2, in the form of menaquinone-4 (the “mammalian K2”). This is how they meet their needs of Vitamin K2. Unfortunately, humans convert only a limited amount of K1 into K2, and thus we require more preformed K2 directly from our diet. (Menaquinone-4 from animals sources or menaquinone-7 from fermented sources.) Or, if you want to cheat, you can supplement.
Chris Masterjohn wrote a thorough and excellent piece on the history of Vitamin K2, in an article titled “On the Trail of the Elusive X-Factor”.
http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/on-the-trail-of-the-elusive-x-factor-a-sixty-two-year-old-mystery-finally-solved/