Dinosaur dentition
Dinosaur dentition is the structure, arrangement, and replacement of teeth in dinosaurs. Tooth form and wear varied with diet and feeding strategy.
Tooth morphology: Tooth morphology is the study of the form and structure of teeth. Crown shape, ridges, and edges are the basic features used to compare dinosaur teeth.
Dental microwear texture analysis: Dental microwear texture analysis measures microscopic surface patterns on teeth to infer the properties of foods consumed. Microscopic wear can distinguish feeding habits that tooth shape alone cannot resolve.
Hadrosauridae: Hadrosauridae is a family of herbivorous ornithopod dinosaurs with broad beaks and extensive dental batteries. Their batteries continually replaced worn teeth and formed broad grinding surfaces.
Mammal dentition: Mammal dentition is the structure and arrangement of teeth in mammals, often differentiated into incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. Most dinosaurs lacked the strongly differentiated tooth types common in mammals.
Tooth replacement: Tooth replacement is the process by which lost or worn teeth are replaced by new ones. Many dinosaurs continually replaced teeth, limiting the effects of heavy wear.
Dinosaur paleobiology: Dinosaur paleobiology studies the biology, behavior, and ecology of non-avian dinosaurs. Dinosaur teeth preserve evidence about feeding within broader studies of dinosaur life.
Ceratopsia: Ceratopsia is a group of beaked, herbivorous dinosaurs that includes Triceratops and its relatives. Ceratopsians developed tooth batteries suited to slicing and grinding vegetation.
Crocodilian dentition: Crocodilian dentition is the arrangement of conical teeth that are repeatedly replaced throughout a crocodilian's life. Crocodilian teeth typically grip or puncture food rather than forming dinosaur-like grinding batteries.
Dental battery: A dental battery is a tightly packed group of teeth that function together as a grinding surface. Hadrosaurids and ceratopsians formed complex chewing surfaces from multiple teeth.
Stable isotope analysis: Stable isotope analysis measures isotope ratios in materials to investigate diet, environment, or biological processes. Isotope evidence can test dietary interpretations drawn from dinosaur teeth.