Rodent Dentistry

Rodents have less teeth than rabbits and tend to have yellow enamel. The murine-type small rodents (rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils) have a dental formula: Incisors 1/1, Canine 0/0, Premolars 0/1, Molars 3/3 (i.e., top/bottom teeth for half of the mouth. Multiply by 2 to get total number of teeth). They have "open-rooted" incisors that keep growing throughout their lives. The back teeth ("cheek teeth") have anatomical roots like the dog, cat, or person and the crowns do not grow once they come in. This arrangement reflects their natural dietary habits: a diet of grains, and tubers does not require a lot of chewing and the back teeth are not worn down. The incisors, on the other hand, are worn down from gnawing and need continual replacement. Guinea pigs and chinchillas have the common formula of: Incisors 1/1, Canines 0/0, Premolars 1/1, Molars 3/3. All teeth are open-rooted and continually grow. They are true herbivores from a somewhat barren, rocky terrain of the South American Andes mountains. Vegetation is tough and high in fiber, with a low energy content. This type of diet requires a large intake of food and thorough chewing. Thi