As scientists further untangle the evolutionary pathways of ancient humans, teeth will likely continue to play a critical role.

Particular evolutionary pathways seem to have been chosen more often than others.

This evidence, in combination with morphological differences among the discs suggests convergent evolutionary pathways.

Evolutionary pathways are constrained by both opportunity and possibility.

In summary, ancestral reconstruction allows for the study of evolutionary pathways, adaptive selection, and functional divergence of the evolutionary past.