A Computed Tomographic Study of the Incisor Teeth of Male Babyrousa spp.

Abstract

There are significant gaps in our understanding of the oral biology of the "Vulnerable" Babyrousa spp. of Indonesia. A photographic and computed tomography (CT) scanning study was carried out on 62 maxillary incisors and 114 mandibular incisors of 8 adult male Babyrousa babyrussa skulls and 14 skulls of Babyrousa celebensis. An additional group comprised 4 adult males and one subadult male, Babyrousa celebensis. The 4 maxillary incisors (102, 101, 201, and 202) and the 4 mesial mandibular incisors (302, 301, 401, and 402) were open-rooted, dentin structures. The dentine-composed lateral mandibular incisors (303 and 403) had closed roots. Maxillary incisor tooth length, and tooth root length, depth, and breadth were measured. Measurements were also made of mandibular incisor tooth and root lengths, and in 302, 301, 401, 402, the tooth depth and breadth at the apex and at 50% of the incisor length. The pulp depth and breadth of these teeth in both species decreased from the apex along the length of the tooth, while the secondary dentin depth increased. Primary dentine depth measured at the apex of the mandibular teeth did not change. Tooth wear patterns on the lingual surfaces of the incisors were attributed to mandibular yaw movements during mastication.