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Zoology

Dental Formula in Mammals

By BS MediaTwitter Profile | Updated: Saturday, 03 April 2021 16:15 UTC
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The human permanent dentition. Notice the larger size of the maxilla (upper) crowns compared to the mandible (lower) crowns and the differences between the roots of the same class of tooth. The first molar is the largest of the molar and the first to erupt. This can tooth can often have evidence of attrition on its cusps and crown when the 2nd and 3rd molars lack abrasion due to the 1st’s early eruption. Not to scale.
The human permanent dentition. Notice the larger size of the maxilla (upper) crowns compared to the mandible (lower) crowns and the differences between the roots of the same class of tooth. The first molar is the largest of the molar and the first to erupt. This can tooth can often have evidence of attrition on its cusps and crown when the 2nd and 3rd molars lack abrasion due to the 1st’s early eruption. Not to scale.

Mostly the number of teeth is fixed in each mammalian species. Mammalian heterodont dentition is expressed by a "dental formula". The number and arrangement of teeth in each half of the upper and lower jaws are constant and identical. Hence the teeth can be expressed by using the initials - I, C, Pm, and P4. The number of teeth differs in the various orders of mammals and is closely related to their feeding habits.

The typical number of teeth in mammals is 44. This can be observed in Horse and pig and their dental formula are given below.

Dental formula in mammals
Figure 726.1: Dental formula in mammals

The numerator indicates the number of teeth on one side of the upper jaw. The denominator indicates the number of teeth on one side of the lower jaw. As the two halves of each jaw have the same number and kind of teeth, the number of teeth on one side alone is usually expressed in the formula.

The dental formulae of some common mammals are given below.

Dental formula in man, pig, horse, and cow
Figure 726.2: Dental formula in man, pig, horse, and cow
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